Megapipes Solutions, a new company in Kenya is set to bring new solution to the country’s sanitation problem by offering larger diameter plastic pipes to meet the challenge of poor sanitation through the use of Weholite which has been tried and tested across Europe, North America and several African countries including Tanzania and South Africa.
Proper sanitation and storm water management remain as two of the major challenges for devolved governments in Kenya as they grapple to improve on service delivery to citizens. The new company’s product, Weholite is a lightweight, engineered structured wall pipe made from high density polythene (HDPE) and is used extensively around the world in low pressure or gravity applications for drinking water storage, storm water, sewage and various other liquids.
New production techniques
New production techniques have been combined with the latest raw materials technology to produce a durable pipe system with superior load-bearing properties, making Weholite the preferred solution for many municipal and industrial applications in both the public and private sector – including stormwater management, sewage treatment systems, culverts, marine pipelines and irrigation water distribution.
“Weholite offers distinct chemical and physical advantages over other more traditional materials. Superior hydraulics and abrasion resistance means that it will not corrode or deteriorate over time, making it a long-lasting solution for projects in Kenya,” said Consulting Engineer Ranjit Singh Rupra of Mangat I.B Patel and Partners.
Millennium Development Goal
Kenya failed to achieve its Millennium Development Goal for increasing access to water and sanitation. Only 30% of Kenyans have access to improved sanitation, or the use of sanitation facilities that hygienically separate excreta from human contact. This means that approximately 30 million Kenyans are still using unsafe sanitation methods like rudimentary types of latrines, and almost six million are defecating in the open.
Access to improved sanitation is a major challenge both in urban and rural areas. It costs the country an estimated Sh35bn annually for the gaps in its sanitation and hygiene services according to a World Health Organisation and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme.
In urban areas, the challenge is even more daunting as urban growth outstrips the provision of basic services, sanitation included. Moreover, urban planning hardly precedes settlement, making it much harder for utilities to provide water and sanitation services. Sanitation in the urban areas is further compounded by the inter-linkages with other services including storm water drainage, solid waste and water supply.
Weholite pipes will be readily available in Kenya with the construction of a factory for manufacturing of the large diameter plastic pipes for drainage and sanitation Projects in Kenya and neighboring countries, already under way in Ruiru in Kiambu county.
Megapipes will be manufacturing innovative, state-of-the-art products for the growing requirements of water storage, sanitation and drainage projects in Kenya, contributing to the local economy and industrialization process and avoiding importation of such products.
