Five shortlisted companies will be issued with RFPs in May for the project to be built in the coastal county of Mombasa.

The county is tendering two desalination projects on a build, operate, transfer (BOT) basis. They are a plant of 130,000 m3/d in the north, and one of 30,000 m3/d in the south.

Kenya’s minister for water and natural resources revealed at the plans during the Global Water Summit in Madrid this week. Nine companies have shown interest in working on the project.

The new desalination project will be financed through a public-private partnership (PPP), and Mombasa County has committed to help secure land for it.

Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing acute water shortages due to erratic rainfall patterns and the increased frequency of droughts. The region is largely dependent on rainfall; however, alternate sources have to be found to meet the current and the future demand for fresh water.

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