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Securing the future of water, sanitation
Local water service providers (WSPs) often struggle to secure affordable financing for system expansion and upgrades, limiting their ability to meet demand and improve service quality.
Kenya faces significant challenges in providing reliable access to clean and safe water due to rapid population growth and inadequate infrastructure, which affect health, economic productivity, and social stability.
With a population of 53 million, about 28 million Kenyans lack access to clean safe water, and 41 million lack improved sanitation, jeopardising food and energy security.
Climate change poses an additional threat to water security. Increasingly erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, and rising temperatures are altering water availability and quality.
These changes not only reduce the quantity of water available but also affect agricultural productivity, leading to food insecurity. As we experience these impacts firsthand, the urgency to adopt climate-resilient water management practices becomes clear.
The country has been making strides to improve water access. In 2016, the government, in partnership with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), launched the Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme.
This initiative aimed to enhance water supply access, quality, availability, and sustainability in 19 towns while improving wastewater management services in 17 towns across the country.
Today, many towns across the country continue to benefit from this programme, aligning with the initial goal of providing more than 2.1 million people access to reliable and sustainable water supply services and more than 1.3 million people connection to underground sewerage systems.
However, one of its biggest challenges lies in distribution, with many areas lacking the necessary infrastructure to abstract, treat, and distribute water from existing water bodies. Developing and maintaining this infrastructure requires substantial investment, which is often limited.
Local water service providers (WSPs) often struggle to secure affordable financing for system expansion and upgrades, limiting their ability to meet demand and improve service quality.
High operating and maintenance costs, coupled with insufficient funding, lead to breakdowns and inefficiencies. Increased investment and better financial management can enhance water access, distribution, and job creation.
While government funding is important for driving sustainable development, private-sector investment is also essential, with financial institutions taking the lead. Public-private partnerships can encourage private-sector investment by providing a clear framework for assessing projects' environmental impact and offering financial incentives for investing in sustainable projects.
At the National Bank of Kenya, we are dedicated to working with partners to support water infrastructure projects through our flexible financial solution, Majikonnect. This solution aims to enhance the WASH sector, targeting MSMEs, Corporates, and WSPs.
Ensuring access to clean and safe water is not just a necessity; it is a right. As stakeholders, we must collaborate and invest in sustainable solutions to secure Kenya's water future. The government should prioritize effective policies and increased funding, the private sector should embrace investment opportunities in water infrastructure, and individuals should practice water conservation.
Together, we can overcome the water scarcity challenge and build a healthier, more prosperous nation for ourselves and our children.
The writer is the Relationship Manager WASH at the National Bank of Kenya