KISMAYO-BAIDOA URBAN WATER SUPPLY PROJECT Baidoa Urban Water Supply
Water Abstraction and Environmental impact assessment (WA&EIA) Status Review Report
July 6th, 2021
This Environmental Impact Assessment was commissioned alongside the geophysical survey to assess the biophysical and human environments, including negative and positive impacts of the proposed drilling.
Hydrogeological/geophysical study was conducted to survey the hydrogeological conditions for groundwater exploration and assess the potential in meeting water demand for the community. This was followed by environmental impact assessment of the project with specific objectives to:
i) Establish a basis for implementing the proposed drilling project by also assessing sustainability of the project.
ii) Assess any likely adverse environmental impacts that could ensue during drilling and operation of the borehole project.
iii) Mitigate for any negative impacts identified. The report gives analyses of existing
environmental conditions in the project area, focusing on aspects likely to be affected by the project, either beneficially and/or adversely. Mitigation measures have been proposed to avoid, reduce, remedy and/or compensate for anticipated environmental impacts associated with the project.
The E.I.A investigations identified impacts ensuing from the proposed borehole drilling project to be associated with the construction and the operation phase. The aspects addressed include:
− Aquifer sustainability within the study area,
− Water quality of the proposed and the existing sources,
− Soil erosion
− Pollution levels related to the drilling activities in the study area.
During the construction phase, attention to public health and occupational safety through proper solid waste disposal and management, provision of proper head gear for contractors’ staff, management of possible contaminants and availability of response mechanism to accidents will be emphasized.
Mitigation of long-term impacts regarding depletion of aquifers requires proper borehole installation, development, completion, and suitable abstraction rates within the safe yields in compliance with all regulations regarding use of water resources from the available sources as well as alternative sources.
Short term impacts envisaged during the drilling phase will be minimized by the contractors’
adherence to mitigation measures presented in the environmental management plan.
The implementation of the project will lead to provision of consistent clean water supply to the local community. As a result, there will be improved body and water hygiene and sanitation/ living standards of the local community. This will in turn reduce the degree of water borne diseases and psychological disturbance among the community members due to water shortfall. On the other hand, pressure imparted by the locals on the existing water supply source in the area will be circumvented hence
reducing over abstraction aspect and commotion by community members at the water points/supply areas.
A qualified supervising hydrogeologist on site will ensure the drilled boreholes are properly installed and developed, avoid entry of foreign particles and possible contaminants into the borehole. Proper test pumping will be done to determine the sustainable yields from these
boreholes, impact of one borehole to the other and recommend the correct pumps to be installed.
Groundwater from the proposed borehole is expected to be chemically and bacteriologically satisfactory, but with some chemical characteristics exceeding WHO standards (mineralized).
This conclusion is deduced from the records of other borehole drilled in the area which are assumed to have similar hydrogeological and hydro geochemical conditions to the proposed site.
The proponent should consider setting up efficient infrastructure services for specialised
personnel to access the constructed facility during maintenance and rehabilitation practices. With a good basic infrastructure and piping, water from the borehole would be delivered to the
required water points, and other structures etc., hence enabling efficient water supply without disturbance of the borehole sites.
Based on the results of this EIA, it is apparent that with the adoption and implementation of the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan, the adverse impacts will be adequately mitigated against. In addition, foreseeable potential impacts will be forestalled before they occur thereby considerably limiting future environmental damage and ensuring the existence of a clean and healthy environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING PLAN
Environmental/
Social Impact
Proposed Mitigation and Aspects for Monitoring
Responsibility for intervention and monitoring during design, construction and defects liability period
Responsibility for mitigation, monitoring and/or maintenance after defects liability period
Monitoring means (c) = construction (o) = operation
Recommended frequency of monitoring
Soil erosion - Ensure management of excavation and drilling activities.
- Proper refilling of the excavated cuttings pit and power cables.
Project Contractor
(c) inspection (o)routine maintenance
No soil erosion expected
Air pollution - Ensure proper working conditions of exhaust systems of the borehole drilling and
construction machines.
- Control speed and operation of construction vehicles.
- Provide dust masks for personnel in dust generation areas.
Project Contractor
(c)inspection/
observation
Throughout borehole drilling
Noise pollution - Use of sound attenuated equipment - Sensitize drivers of drilling machines - Workers and other participants in the vicinity of high-level noise to wear earmuffs.
Project Contractor
(c)inspection/
observation
Throughout borehole drilling
Oil and grease spills
- Proper storage, handling and disposal of oil and oil wastes during construction
- Any maintenance of construction vehicles should be carried out in the contractor's yard off site or at a petrol station.
Project Contractor
(c)inspection Throughout borehole drilling
Water Sources - Avoiding entry of any unrecommended material into the borehole.
- The top of the borehole should be well sealed - Shallow perched aquifer to a depth of 8m should be sealed off to avoid interfering with the nearby spring
- Management of water usage to avoid unnecessary wastage of water.
- Installation of uPVC dipper line for water level monitoring
Project Contractor
Community (c)observation Daily Throughout borehole drilling
Public health and occupational safety
- Ensure proper solid waste disposal and collection facilities
- Ensure wastewater management
- Drilling Contractor should provide overalls, helmets, safety boots, earmuffs, nose masks and gloves for the workers, the supervising
Project Contractor
Community (c)observation Daily Throughout borehole drilling
SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT Population
Baidoa city comprises of four distinct Geographical Areas which also correspond to
Administrative Divisions, namely, 1. Bardale (East), 2. Horsed (Northwest), 3. Howlwadag (Northwest) and 4. Isha (Southeast). The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had drafted population data reports in 2005 where the population of the district of Baidoa was estimated to be 227,761 people; the urban population as 59,107 and the non-urban as 168,6541. Estimations done by UNFPA from 2014 do not aggregate district populations, but estimates the Bay region population to be 792,182, with an urban population of 930462. CCCM’s most recent reports march, 2020 indicates that the population of Baidoa estimated 483 sites and 55,005 households, and most of the settlements are inside and outside the city. Baidoa District Administration’s most recent report (2018) indicates that, Baidoa is home to an estimated 371 IDP sites and 42,332 households.
This growth in population has come with its own challenges such as a rapid rise in informal settlements and the negative impacts on the environment caused by such settlements, urban fragmentation, illegal occupation, land disputes and lack of basic services and infrastructure.
Baidoa current population (Source: CCCM’ & Baidoa town municipality)
Settlement Patterns
Population distribution and settlement patterns in Baidoa are influenced by proximity to vital social and physical infrastructure networks such as roads, housing, water, and electricity. Other
factors that influence settlement patterns include accessibility to employment opportunities, availability of cheap housing, security, and land tenure systems.
Large number of landless people live in the city’s slums of Wadajir, Xanano 2, Daru-salam, Barahnoy, Mursal, Salamay, Sharif Gacamay, Abow-asharow, and ADC.
IDP sites in Baidoa ( Source: CCCM Cluster)
Kismayo Urban Water Supply
During the assessment activities in Kismayo Jubaland state, the social economic aspects were assessed, and the specific following objectives were set to be accomplished by the survey:
− To review social setups, family size and current water supply situation
− To assess the socio-economic status of the residents
− To determine the water consumption rate, willingness and ability to pay for water
supply
− To evaluate various benefits and challenges envisioned by the residents from the
proposed project
− To assess the environmental impact of the project.
Household Demographics, economic activities & Type of housing
The average number of people living within the household was found to be 7 persons. The general trend indicate that majority of the household members are children aged between 2-10 years who account for over 70% of the population.
The gender distribution was observed to be uniform. At household level, the survey revealed that in many households the median for both male and female children was 2.
The main socio-economic activities in Kismaayo town is commodity trading comprising 33%
of the population. Those who are formally employed comprise 19% while those engaged in farming and selling of agricultural products comprise 14%. There was also a significant proportion of the population (25%) spread out evenly in Timber/charcoal businesses, livestock rearing and fishing.
The dominant housing type among the survey respondents was Shack / Shanty - a low cost housing made of iron sheets at 44%. The population with own compound was also notably high at 36%. Those living in single rooms was found to be at 13%.
Main sources of water
The main source of water in Kismayo is groundwater, which is mostly saline. From the survey, approximately 48% of the respondents have piped water with 32% accessing water from water vendors as shown in Figure 10. The water vendors primary source of water is the Shallow wells.
Water providers
The survey revealed that , of the residents with piped water, 41% access water from Caafi water company. The company has few private desalination plants that treat the brackish groundwater. From the survey, 16% of the
respondent with piped water are serviced by Jubba water company which has four boreholes at
Hadweiyn pumping deep groundwater aquifer.
Approximately 27% of the residents rely on water vendors and 7% rely on shallow wells as shown in Figure 11.
Alternate water source
The survey revealed that majority of the residents rely on water vendors when the above main water supply are not available. Approximately 58% of the respondent alternate water source was water
vendors, 18% used shallow wells, 6% used boreholes and water kiosks while 5% borrowed from neighbours as shown in Figure 12.
Reliability of water supply
The survey revealed that 55% of the residents received water at least on a daily basis, 21%
received water after 2-3 days, 12% of the respondents received water twice in a day as shown
in Figure 13.
67% of the respondents revealed to experience yearly water shortages within the months of March-June as shown on Figure 14.
Affordability and reliability
The socio-economic survey revealed that 35% of the household use 5 jerry cans (100L) of
water per day, 23% of the household use 10 jerry cans for their daily water needs, 15% use
approximately 8 jerry cans per day and 11% of the household less than 2 jerry cans per day as
shown in Figure 15.
The socio-economic survey revealed that the respondents with piped water from Caafi
company paid 6.5 USD per cubic meter/unit of water. The respondents with piped water from Jubba water company paid 2.5 USD per cubic meter/unit of water.
For the residents with unmetered water supply they paid approximately 0.3 USD per 20L jerry can from the water vendors.
81% of the respondents perceive their current water price as high, while 10% think the water price is fair with 3 % perceiving it as low as shown in Figure 16.
The socio- economic revealed that the
willingness and ability to pay is 0.1 USD for a 20L
Jerrycan while the residents with piped water are willing to pay is 2.60 USD per cubic meter/unit of water (m3/s).
Conclusion:
As per the carried assessments, the situations in both towns remain the same and no
encroachment has taken place. No changes have occurred through other agencies or from the Energy and Water ministries form the two respective states.
