The new normal
Nairobi and many other parts of the country have known water rationing since 2017. Though it has been 4 years we still do not have a constant supply of water.
Though it is true that the country has been getting hotter and dryer over the past few years, it is more than just that. In 1990 ninety percent of urban dwellers had access to clean water, but the rapidly growing population took that number down to 50% in 2017. The population in Nairobi quadrupled yet the water system didn’t grow nearly as fast.
11 billion down the drain.
In 2020 over 11 billion shillings worth of water was lost throughout the nations water system. Leakages due to poor maintenance of existing infrastructure metering inaccuracies, unmetered consumption and theft by water cartels are the main reasons for this loss.
The Water Services Regulatory Board (Wasreb) allocates 20% buffer as potential losses. Kenya’s water system loses 47% of all water injected into the system. The water lost would be enough to supply residential and industrial needs of Nairobi for 6 months.
Some of the counties, like Migori lose up to 77% of water put into the system. Marsabit loses 67%, Baringo loses 64%, Kwale -63%, Kirinyaga- 59% Etc.
With the global trend of increased water scarcity, Kenya has to come up with a solution and fast. Lest water assess become an issue in the future.
Is it still clean?
The declining infrastructure also means that the quality of water getting to homes has declined, from 96% in 2019 to 92% in 2020.
Drinking water quality has a direct impact on the health of consumers. It is a weighted composite indicator measuring compliance with residual chlorine standards (40 percent) and bacteriological standards (60 percent).
Not so simple.
The existing system needs fixing to handle supplying water to the current population, though there are many other factors that have led Kenya to its current situation. Climate change is the largest global threat when it comes to water.
Take care of your home.
Not only do you have to worry about supply you also have to think about the safety of the water your family is consuming. At the leas you need a tank for your home you also need filtration. That is where our domestic and office water filtration systems come in to ensure you have safe clean and safe water to drink.
At CESP Africa we offer a few solutions to match your needs: we offer an under-sink water filtration system, a stand alone water dispenser and a table top water filtration system.