In 1956 after many years of construction the 210km Mzima pipeline was completed, enabling a constant supply of water to the expanding city of Mombasa on Kenya's coast. The line of the pipeline, which was constructed using reinforced concrete pipes, journeys from its source at Mzima Springs in Tsavo West, before following a route of over 40kms through Tsavo East National Park.

Originally built with piping transported on ships all the way from England to Mombasa, the pipeline has over the years sprung many leaks needing significant repair. Sadly the maintenance of the pipeline has caused issues with substantial cluttering of the environment from old piping and debris being left abandoned throughout the park. Since its completion over fifty years ago the pipeline in Tsavo East alone has discarded more than forty fragments of huge concrete piping weighing upwards of 500kg each and measuring 2 feet in width.

Due to the size and difficulty of removing the piping it has just been left to litter the landscape, but the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is now taking action and has received permission from the KWS in Tsavo East to dispose of the debris by employing members of the surrounding local communities.

With manpower the large concrete fragments are being loaded onto a lorry along with any metal wiring and rubble left behind. This is a tough and physically demanding task in a harsh and arid environment, which will take many days, but for the casual labourers hired it gives much needed employment.

The DSWT strives to invest resources into projects such as this on top of its on-going initiatives in order to support the future of Kenyas National Parks and in turn the wildlife which relies so heavily upon the Parks for protection against an increasingly hostile world.

The pipeline clear-up mission has currently been temporarily halted, but the DSWT is working alongside the KWS to continue and complete the removal of all of the debris. We are hoping to complete the project by the end of the year.