Access to clean water and Sustainable wastewater management for all

 

Advancing Water and Sewerage Access and Sustainability

The Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) is one of nine water works development agencies established under Kenya Water Act 2016 serving the counties of Nairobi, Kiambu, and Murang’a, with a population of approximately 9 million. Driven with a mission to increase water and sewerage coverage through informed innovation, sustainable development and management of the associated infrastructure, its fifth generation five-year strategic plan 2023-2027, is yet another blueprint that reflect its consistent determination to mitigate Kenya’s status as a water scarce country in line with UN SDG(6). AWWDA plays a fundamental role in alleviating water supply challenges within its areas of jurisdiction. The Agency's mandate as enshrined in the Act includes developing, maintaining and managing national public waterworks, sewerage infrastructures, providing technical support to water service providers within the areas of jurisdiction, and contributing to regional and national water services goals.

The Agency's 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, is a blueprint for the institution that lays out specific key result areas and strategies the institution will implement to achieve those strategic objective in the medium term. The plan is however aligned to other long-term national development priorities embedded in the Vision 2030, the Bottom-up Economic Transformative Agenda, and international development goals such as like the AU Agenda 2063 and UN Sustainable Development Goals. The strategic plan also factors in the sector laws, regulations, policies and plans. The ultimate purpose of this strategic plan is to provide a robust strategic framework to enhance water and sewerage services in areas it serves with an aim of increasing water access from 76% to 85% and sewerage access from 47% to 60 by the year 2027. The five-pillared blueprint focuses on five crucial key result areas including;

1.      Water and Sewerage coverage’.

In particular, AWWDA aims to spiral water access to 85% through development of dams of aggregate  storage capacity of  460,000m3/day, develop new water sources producing 106,500m3/day, extending water distribution networks by 841km, rehabilitating dilapidated water infrastructure, lessening non-revenue water to 20%. Likewise, on sewerage access, in the five-year planning period, the institution target to expand  sewerage access from 47% to 60% through expanding sewer networks by 880km and construct 5 additional waste water treatment plants treating 138,800m3/day.

 

2.      Institutional Capacity

AWWDA seeks to strengthen its institutional capacity through bettering human resource capacity, proper strategic asset management, reviewing governance policies to enhance proper governance, improve policy compliance and advance information and communication technology. 

3.      Research innovation and development.

In cognisance of importance of securing an edge in technology and evidence-based solutions in development of water and sewerage infrastructure, the institution has aimed to promote research, innovation and adoption of appropriate technology on its mandate delivery.

4.      Environmental and social sustainability

The institution targets to strengthen environmental sustainability through enhancing environmental protection and compliance and promote climate resilience in projects. Further, for social suitability, AWWDA undertakes to address project related community grievances, enhance  community engagement and participation, promote occupational health and safety in projects, promote fair labour practices in projects, ensure fair and just compensation of project affected persons(PAPs)

 

5.      Resource Mobilization;

AWWDA will have to mobilize resources in tune of Kshs.209B during the planning period to be able to achieve the above discussed key result areas. It aims to mobilize from different sources including, funding from the exchequer (the national government of Kenya), from development partners, operationalization of bulk water systems and other innovative financing solutions. Given the increasingly narrowing nature of fiscal space, the institutional seeks to explore the public-private partnership Act 2021, which provide frameworks for public institutions to engage private sector stakeholders in the development of heavy capital projects. Additionally, as provided in the Water Act 2016, AWWDA aims to boost its internal revenue generation through operationalization of bulk water systems; Northern Water Collector Tunnel bulk water system, which will be supplying 140 million litres per day to Nairobi and Karimenu II Dam supplying 70 million litres per day to areas of Nairobi county, Ruiru and Gatundu.  

 

Despite the steadfast effort to improve water and sewerage access in areas of Nairobi, Kiambu and Murang’a counties, AWWDA faces myriad of cross-cutting sector challenges blocking attainment of its goals. These include, limited financing for development of new water and sewerage infrastructure. In a morning show in Spice FM on 5th December 2024, AWWDA’s CEO Eng. Joseph Kamau said the water quantity capacity of Aberdare forest, which is the main water catchment area for AWWDA area of jurisdiction, is 1.2 billion litres per day, whereas the present production is 700million per day against demand of 860 million litres per day. The major obstacle from maximizing provision from the catchment area is due to limited investment in water infrastructure.  Further, a prevailing issue of non-revenue water is a major challenge to the institution and the entire sector. According to WASREB impact report 16, water sector loses approximately 50% to non-revenue water. This is attributable to illegal connection done by locals along the distribution networks and lack of proper maintenance of existing water infrastructures hence inefficiency.

In sum, Athi Water Works Development Agency pronounce its leadership in the sector through exceptional past achievements and continuous implementation of its blueprint to improve water and sewerage service to populations its covers. Despite the prevailing sector challenges, it showcase in the current strategic plan 2023-2027, the commitment to achieve its core mandate which is increasing water and sewerage access to significant milestones in the betterment of socioeconomic status of populations in areas it serves.  

 

 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Donald Trump is back, what in it for Kenya?

Image
Donald Trump won the just ended 2024 elections being the 45 th and 47 th POTUS, perhaps the most consequential election in the recent history making the greatest political comeback to the Whitehouse and marking presidential history as the first president to serve non-consecutive terms since 1897 and being the second one after Grover Cleveland being the 22 nd and 24 th president of the United States. In simple terms he made a remarkable history! However, his pronounced radical conservativism in matters culture and strong protectionism in matters economy and foreign policy has undoubtedly left global leaders anxious of what is to be unpredictable nature of leadership for the next four years.   America is the greatest power both in economic, military and cultural diversity therefore what transpires there is unignorably important. And that is perhaps the reason why global political leaders, business honchos and investors are always being on the alert of US affairs. Kenya-US relat...
Read more

Is religion dying in the face of Gen Z?

Image
                                                “There will be no Church   in the next 200 years, am not saying ‘No Faith & God’, but ‘No Church’, get me clear!” I once heard these words in a certain podcast, didn’t take them seriously but now there is a coming belief that person who said them was not actually crazy as I had thought in that moment. I n the   present fast-shifting worldscape , the ascendancy of organized religions is undergoing through   intense alteration than ever before in the history of religious transformation . Once foundations of soc iocultural power, organized religions such as Christianity are immensely facing unprecedented drawbacks , especially in regards to the youth population. This trend is not exclusive to Christianity but it extends to other stronger faiths such as Islam , Hinduism , Buddhism. However, this dec...
Read more

GAGHAGUA'S IMPEACHMENT A Game-Plan for 2027 elections.

Image
  An Autumn of Impeachment, A Disgraced Kenya’s DP! If there is something that Kenya’s political atmosphere is not new to is unending innuendos, tumult, betrayal, unexpected rapprochements, blackmail and split of regimes before their tenures lapse. Kenya is yet on another political pandemonium just months after historic Gen Zs June ‘#Occupy’ protests. Protests that nearly ousted the current regime out of state power.   A pandemonium partly caused by lingering effects of successful #OccupyParliament protests inter alia. With successful tabling of Deputy President Impeachment motion on the floor after garnering a staggering endorsement of 291 members of national assembly, Kenya's political space, particularly government has been greatly divided in ways never experienced before. While impeachment of a key figure in presidency is granted in the article 145 and article 150 of constitution of Kenya 2010, no member of parliament has in the past successfully tabled a motion to imp...
Read more

WHAT YOU NEED ABOUT KENYA'S PUBLIC DEBT CRISIS

Image
 National Treasury building In  my inaugural article on this blog on  the fall of  third quar ter of previous financial year, I stated my worries o n the public debt crisis which is seriously plaguing our country, don’t’ worry, my worries still persist.  That persisting nature of the crisis has continued to spark a raging public discourse on how regimes in the past and in the now have failed in  prudent debt management to such an extent it exist as hindrance to, instead of being an  enabler of country’s   development.   In fact, the mystery of public debt is one of  the major issues that enraged the public during the June 2024 #Occupy protests. In agreement, experts, banking sector, debt management practioners and the public endorse the belief that public debt is not actually undesirable to any extent however what really matter is how it is being exploited for the interest of public good. Most first world countries whose economies have p...
Read more

SHI-SHA-SHIA-SHIFA-SHIF: A New Age of Social Healthcare!

Image
    The pace towards Universal Health coverage is fastening as the current regime is intending to deliver its share of mandate by building from the MTPIII/Big Four Agenda’s healthcare achievements. While KK regime is steadfast in effecting healthcare changes, the government is yet to dissipate the abounding circulating confusions, confusion founded on numerous questions on the ongoing rapid transition of healthcare financing system from the previous National Health Insurance Fund Act, 1998 to the new Social Health Insurance Act, 2023. Questions such as why the impetuous operationalization of the Social Health Authority. In fact, it is hardly comprehensible that the institution has not been fully established to undertake its mandate as per the SHI Act. Concerns such as why can’t the health authorities attain the same outcomes aimed to be achieved by the new frameworks with the National Health Insurance Fund? Questions such as how what exactly does means testing instrument, ...
Read more

The UNTAPPED KENYA'S COFFEE INDUSTRY

Image
  Despite Coffee being the third most exported product in Kenya, revenue gains from the industry are still   unimaginably modest, but why?  Agricultural sector still prevail as the backbone of Kenya’s economy. According to US Aid report 2023, agricultural sector accounts for 33% of Kenya's GDP. In the sector, coffee is one of the main agricultural products exported to foreign markets driving agricultural sector and Kenyan economy at large. In fact, it is the third most exported product by Kenya. Out of 28million Ha Kenya’s agricultural land, coffee farming takes approximately 119,000 Ha which is 0.5% coverage  of agricultural land.   More than six million Kenyans are employed by coffee industry either directly or indirectly. While the industry is significantly important in economic growth of the country, coffee farming have recorded drastic decline since 1990s. Statistically, coffee farming has declined by over 30% in terms of land coverage from 170,000 i...
Read more

War in GAZA: A War on a Holy Land.

Image
  War is Blood War is Death War is Evil! The world has never been completely devoid of wars, has it? Since ancient times, adversary states had always involved themselves in wars either directly or indirectly to secure various interests such as expanding kingdoms, imposing religion, spreading   cultures, advancing economic interest inter alia. During the ancient eras, kingdoms never ceased to aspire to expand their territories by conquering others. Remember the biblical story  of King Nebuchadnezzar II conquering  Jerusalem, Nazi’s Third Reich invasion of European powers, followed by occupation of Palestine by Zionists and colonization of third world countries and most modern one annexation of Crimea by Kremlin among many others that you might know? Presently, the world is bruising from several real wars and conflicts from Africa, to Middle East and Europe. This article will put special focus on the current war in Gaza, a long-standing conflict between Israel and Pa...
Read more

Is the current Economic reprieve sustainable to the Long-term?

Image
  If there is something that economics replicate is life. In life there are moment of agony and there are good times there are moments of tumult and moments of peace. Likewise in economics there are chapters of economic turbulence and bout of stability, stretch of depression and duration boom, there are tempos of growth and spell of stagnation. There are period of inflation and period of deflation. Let’s get to it now. Now, if you have walked into Kenyan supermarkets in recent days to do your routine shopping, be it groceries grains, maize flour, cakes,milk, soda or any other food, you must have noticed that food prices have dramatically plummeted for the last three weeks. While the globe is currently experiencing times of geopolitical turmoil as are conflicts are soaring in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, two regions which are fundamentally important to globe because what they provide to the other countries are vital for their survival,fall in food prices is something uneasy...
Read more

What next with Gen Z movement, is it Dead or Not...?

Image
                                 Surrendered but still on course, In recent times, the country has faced a renaissance of socio-political activism, especially among its youthful population. What happened in June 25 2024, marked a bold moment in the history of demonstrations in the quest for public accountability showcasing the power and determination of Generation Z to call for change. Gen Z, a generation of people born from 1997-2004. And of course it was not the nation’s first time experience a youthful population rising to defy the status quo as it present a historical continuity of a youthful involvement in the country’s political issues. Not a first-time experience, read some history! Remember Kenya African Union, Mau Mau, the Kepenguria Six and other grass root freedom fighting organizations during the colonial era? These local organizations played a crucial roles in the struggle for Kenya’s...
Read more

8 Key Outcomes from Baku’s UN COP 29, 2024

Image
                                              Credit: UN Climate Change/Kiara Worth  The fight against climate change is fiercely on and BAKU was just another  reminder that time is running out! A two-week UN Climate summit (COP 29) just concluded in BAKU after world leaders, investors and all sector- stakeholders meet to forge a collective action and to underscore the urgency   to scale up efforts against climate crisis. It was small time of broad negotiations to set agreements that could strengthen efforts while building on the achievements of the past climate commitments.   Climate change is no longer a conspiracy theory, it is an evident existential threat to the planet. The changing weather patterns unfamiliar to farmers in my home village causing food shortage, deadly regular hurricanes in the US, to unbearable heatwaves in Europe, disastrous bus...
Read more