NAIROBI, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Residents of semi-arid Kajiado County located south-west of Kenyan capital city Nairobi are the latest beneficiaries of a water project launched on Thursday by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) that is implementing Phase 2A of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project linking Nairobi to the resort town of Naivasha.

Elected leaders from Kajiado county and representatives from the CCCC attended the ground breaking ceremony for the Kimuka Community Water Aid Project stemming from the adjacent 4.5-kilometer long SGR tunnel.

Guo Qing, Deputy General Manager of the CCCC Kenya SGR Project, said a partnership with Kajiado county government has paved way for construction of a water project that will boost access to the commodity among households.

The contractor was proud to be part of the development of this particular water project that will enable about 5,000 people in Kimuka area and the larger Kajiado County to access clean water, according to Guo.

He said that the CCCC will construct two tanks with a capacity of storing 1,600 cubic meters of water that will later be supplied to local households in the semi-arid region where pastoralism is the main economic activity.

Guo said that the CCCC has been on the frontline of offering solution to water supply challenges in Kajiado and other semi-arid counties along the SGR corridor as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Joseph Ole Lenku, the Governor of Kajiado County, hailed the launch of a project that will help address acute water scarcity and transform livelihoods of local farmers and pastoralists.

"We are glad to witness launch of a project that will be critical in addressing water scarcity in Kajiado County. It will help meet rising water demand in our fast growing urban centers," said Ole Lenku.

Currently, only about 35 percent of households in the expansive Kajiado County have access to clean water.

Ole Lenku said his administration will ensure that 60 percent of households have access to clean drinking water by 2022.