Nairobi, Kilifi counties prime in piped water protection

Residents queue for water at Kilifi Mariakani Water and Sewerage firm fundamental places of work in Kilifi city. PHOTO | NMG

Kilifi County has the best proportion of residents that may be served by piped water out of all counties exterior of the capital metropolis Nairobi, in keeping with a brand new report.

A efficiency report of Kenya’s water companies sector launched by the Water Providers Regulatory Board (Wasreb) reveals some 1.1 million residents of Kilifi may entry piped water as at June 2022.

This interprets to water protection of 73 p.c of the county’s inhabitants, the best price of any county in addition to Nairobi. The capital has 4 million residents with water entry, translating to 86 p.c of the town’s inhabitants.

Learn: Nairobi water costs to rise by as much as 40 p.c

Murang’a emerged third with 767,825 or 71 p.c of its inhabitants related to piped water adopted by Kiambu and Embu counties which closed the highest 5 counties with water protection charges of 70 p.c and 63 p.c respectively.

“Throughout the interval beneath evaluation, 54.1 p.c of the nationwide inhabitants lived in areas served by regulated utilities. Nairobi County led in water protection at 86 p.c, which was a two-percentage level drop from 88 p.c in the course of the earlier reporting interval,” stated Wasreb.

West Pokot emerged because the county with the least proportion of residents who’ve piped water connections. The county has 14,988 residents who’ve entry to piped water, translating to only two p.c of its inhabitants.

Wajir, which has 19,726 residents with water connections was second final whereas Narok was third final with 49,029 residents or 4 p.c of its inhabitants having water protection.

About 62 p.c of Kenya’s inhabitants lives in areas the place they’ll entry water connections, which suggests the nation is dealing with a decent race towards time to attain common water protection by 2030.

In response to Wasreb, the realm lined by water service suppliers (WSPs) is rising at a quicker price of 5.1 p.c yearly in comparison with an annual inhabitants development price of two.9 p.c.

Learn: Water: How Kenya flushes Sh11.6bn down the drain

“The rise in inhabitants served has not been in tandem with the quantity of water out there for distribution, which decreased by 4.9 p.c,” stated the water regulator.

“The implication being a decline within the high quality of service expressed when it comes to per capita water availability which decreased from 30l/c/d to 28l/c/d.”

The water sector faces main challenges, notably the rise in non-revenue water, that’s water leakages, which hit 45 p.c within the 12 months to June 2022 translating to Sh11.2 billion loss.

“This can be a very unfavourable scenario that starves utilities of the much-needed assets required to develop entry,” stated Wasreb.

Learn: Unlawful connections deny water corporations Sh8.9bn yearly

This comes at the same time as water utilities proceed to battle financially as a result of comparatively low water prices regardless of the excessive prices of operations and upkeep that the WSPs face.

President William Ruto has mulled privatising water provide as a part of efforts to draw non-public capital to the sector to speed up common water entry.

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