This archive report was first published on 25 November 2019.
Published on November 25, 2019, Kenya's urban water security is under threat due to infrastructure deficits and resource constraints.
According to Davis and Shirtliff, a leading water and energy solutions provider, implementing and enforcing Urban Water Management (UWM) policies is crucial to addressing this issue.
Urban water security is a pressing concern in Kenya, with the country's urban population projected to reach 31.7 million by 2027.
David Gatende, Chief Executive Officer of Davis and Shirtliff, emphasized the importance of UWM policies in ensuring that cities remain resilient, livable, productive, and sustainable.
"UWM plans are key enabling factors in ensuring that cities remain the generators of wealth and employment, incubators of innovation and creativity, and provide the best opportunities to improve livelihoods while sustainably maintaining an ecological balance," Gatende said.
The current challenges in the urban water management sector are attributed to increased urbanization, which has led to increased pressure on limited resources and infrastructure that cannot support the demand.
Mr. Gatende noted that Nairobi's greatest challenge is the unavailability and inaccessibility to clean water, leading to intermittent flooding, seasonal cholera breakouts, and poor sanitation services.
Implementing UWM policies will result in increased availability of high-quality non-potable water, improved water security, reduced cases of water-borne illnesses, and mitigating against floods in urban areas.
