Kenya loses nearly half of treated water before reaching consumers
via Tuko2 min read
Kenya is experiencing significant losses of treated water, with almost half failing to reach paying customers, according to the latest Impact 18 Report. This 48% loss, attributed to leaking pipes, illegal connections, faulty meters, and operational inefficiencies, is more than double the global benchmark of approximately 20%. The Water Services Providers Association WASPA indicates that these non-revenue water losses have consistently exceeded 40% for two decades, depriving utilities of billions of shillings needed for service improvements. WASPA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Njaramba highlighted ageing infrastructure, unreliable electricity for water pumping, rising treatment costs, and insufficient funding as contributing factors. While some utilities are implementing smart meters and digital monitoring, these technologies are not uniformly adopted. The water sector faces a substantial financing gap, requiring about KSh 1 trillion to achieve universal clean water access by 2030, but receiving just over KSh 100 billion annually. These losses result in water rationing, unreliable supply, and increased reliance on water vendors for households. Stakeholders are urging the government to prioritize water infrastructure investment and explore innovative financing models to reduce losses and enhance water service access nationwide.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Tuko.
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