Water companies in the country lose about Sh10.2 billion annually due to water wastage occasioned by poor infrastructure, Water Principal Secretary Julius Korir has divulged.
Korir while speaking in Murang’a expressed concerns over the severe financial impact of non-revenue water saying the losses have greatly affected the government’s agenda in attainment of universal water coverage.
He explained that the loss is mainly caused by damaged water infrastructure, illegal water connections, and leakages within the distribution system, resulting in the loss of 195 million cubic meters annually.
“The regulator estimates non-revenue water at the national level to be at 43 percent, which translates to 195 million cubic meters of water lost every year.
“When you convert this volume of water into cash, it means we are losing a whopping Sh10.2 billion worth of water yearly,” he said.
The PS noted that water firms could have used the lost revenue to invest and expand their water networks thus reaching more homesteads.
To mitigate these losses, Korir emphasized the need to upgrade and invest in modernized water infrastructure, which will also ensure water supply is efficient and reliable.
“Continued investment in upgrading and modernizing water infrastructure is key in ensuring reliability and efficiency of water services,” he added.
The PS further said designers of water infrastructure must ensure that they use robust non-revenue water management mechanisms during the operation and maintenance of water projects.
“Designers need to ensure that in-built mechanisms are used during maintenance phases of water projects,” he noted.
“To sustainably manage our water resources, we must ensure that water infrastructure projects include mandatory provisions for non-revenue water management equipment and staff capacity building,” the PS further said.
Meanwhile, Korir called on water companies to increasingly invest in conservation of catchment areas saying degradation of forests and riparian areas poses a threat to water sources.
“I appeal to all water companies to invest in tree planting. Water sources must be protected and be well conserved to ensure further availability of the commodity.
“Each water company should have a target in tree planting. Human activities need to be avoided in catchment areas and planted seedlings need to be nurtured to maturity,” he stated.
By Bernard Munyao
