Lotikipi Basin Aquifer
The Lotikipi Basin Aquifer is a huge underground water source in Kenya’s northwest. It contains about 200 billion cubic meters of salty water and covers 4,164 square kilometers. Discovered in September 2013, it is about nine times larger than any other Kenyan aquifer and could provide fresh water for the population for 70 years, or even indefinitely if managed well.
It was found by Radar Technologies with the Kenyan government and UNESCO, using satellite data, radar, geological maps, and seismic techniques similar to those used in oil exploration. The water sits roughly 300 meters below the surface and stretches near the borders with South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Uganda. The area is sparsely populated and has conflicts over scarce resources.
Extracting and maintaining boreholes would be technically challenging due to the depth. In February 2015, the government said early tests showed the water was too salty for drinking and would need desalination, such as reverse osmosis. Further tests were planned for June 2016 with a proposed budget of 5 billion Kenyan shillings.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:42 (CET).