Centum currently holds a 0.49 percent stake in REA Vipingo, while REA Trading is the largest shareholder with a 57.04 percent stake in the sisal producer/FILE NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 20- Vipingo Development, a subsidiary of Centum Real Estate, has commenced water production from its 3 million litres per day desalination plant.
The plant has a capacity to supply over 3,000 households with clean water in the Vipingo development as well as surrounding areas.
“We are pleased to have commenced operations at our plant, and we are glad that the residents of Vipingo and the surrounding environs will have access to safe, reliable and cost-effective water supply,” Vipingo Development managing director, Kenneth Mbae said..
Through desalination, the Shs400 million processing plant will purify water from the Indian Ocean and make sure it is safe for drinking and other uses.
The coastal region has an acute water shortage with a demand of 186,000 cubic meters per day against a supply of 42,000m3/day.
“In addition, institutions such as schools, hospitals and industries will have assurance of stable water supply, a key value proposition that is expected to unlock further investment in Vipingo,” he added.
Mbae noted that Vipingo Development built the desalination plant as a strategic solution to the perennial water shortage challenge and as a development catalyst by offering a sustainable water supply that caters for the future, as the water demand increases in line with the organic growth of the entire coastal region.
VDL has additionally installed 4 million litres of water storage capacity and constructed 12.4 kilometers water pipeline to supply water to various projects within the 10,254-acre mixed development.
He said that a one MW solar farm will be installed to power the plant, which will reduce the cost of running the plant by 30 percent and enhance sustainability.
In 2019, Vipingo Development appointed Metito Overseas to design and install the 3,000 cubic meters per day desalination plant.
“The commencement of water production is a testament of what Vipingo Development can do in the spirit of delivering to promise, as demonstrated by how closely we worked with our contractors and installation team from Metito to deliver a successful project,” Mbae saidHe added that the desalination plant will provide a recurring income stream to Vipingo Development, enhancing its ability to create long-term value to our stakeholders.