Dreams deferred as water reforms fail to quench the thirst of Kenyans

• PS says benefits to trickle down in 3 years as users still live with curse of dry taps and burst sewers

Eight years since the commercialisation of water services in the country, many consumers have yet to benefit from improved water supply and sewerage services.

A month ago, Mombasa suffered an acute water shortage while President Kibaki was in town on holiday. Several leaders demanded the dissolution of the Coast Water Services Board, accusing it of failing to end the endemic shortages.

The story is not much different in Nairobi where the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company has announced that the water-rationing programme will continue as long as there is insufficient water to supply the city.

The cases of the two cities may appear isolated, but they represent everything that is wrong with efforts to transform Kenya’s water sector.

Water shortages, rationing and poor sewerage infrastructure are rampant in major towns. From Nairobi to Mombasa to Kisumu, Eldoret and Nakuru, the water crisis is a constant feature.

The reforms that came into effect in 2002 shifted the responsibility of managing water and sewerage services from local authorities accused of mismanagement over the years to new water companies.

With the reforms, many consumers in urban areas expected fair prices, uninterrupted water supply and an end to bursting sewer pipes.

But nothing exemplifies the crisis in the water sector better than the persistent water shortages, allegations of corruption and absence of efficient services in major towns. There are still reports of water that is unaccounted for, inflated bills and poor revenue and debt collection systems.

A report by the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) shows that while a few water companies like those in Nyeri, Isiolo, Eldoret, Nanyuki, Malindi, Garissa, Embu, Meru and Nakuru have improved services, several others continue to disappoint.

In Nakuru, the water company is unable to meet demand, and not many consumers are connected to sewer lines. Cheebara dam, which serves Eldoret under the Lake Victoria North Water Board, operates at below capacity.

The management cites this as the reason they cannot meet the needs of the consumers. The water company needs 26,000 cubic metres of water to meet daily demand.

Nyeri is widely cited as having the most efficient service. The permanent secretary in the ministry of Water and Irrigation says Nyeri Water Service Company has applied good practices and has managed to collect revenue efficiently. The unaccounted for water in Nyeri is the lowest in the country, and since 2006 water shortages have not been reported in the town.

Even some of the water companies acknowledge they haven’t achieved much. Many of them are on record as saying they are operating below capacity and cannot meet the demand for water in their jurisdictions.

But they cite various challenges including high expectations among consumers, drought, poor infrastructure, lack of clearly defined roles in the laws governing water services, resistance by local authorities and laxity in enforcement.

The Water Act created new institutions — water service providers and water service boards under the ministry of Water and Irrigation — to ensure consumers have access to efficient, adequate, affordable and clean water.