NARUWASCO announces plans to reduce non-revenue water

Nakuru Rural Water and Sanitation Company (NARUWASCO) has partnered with Aquaya, supported by US Agency for International Development (USAID) to improve its technical capacity and reduce losses associated with Non-Revenue Water (NRW).

NARUWASCO Managing Director Reuben Korir says the water service provider is marshalling for more resources both locally and internationally to undertake new water projects and enhance existing dilapidated water and sewerage infrastructure.

“The five-year programme is a large technical support partnership in improving the quality of water and water systems in rural areas and reduce NRW from the current 47 pc to 20 pc by working on active leakage control mechanisms, assets and pressure management as both short term and long-term measures,” said Korir.

According to Water and Sanitation Providers Association (WASPA) Ksh 11.2 billion is lost annually amounting to at least 45pc of water through theft, leakages and wastages which has left the companies staring at insolvency.

Korir accounts the physical losses to the dilapidated infrastructure that has been in existence for close to 50 years and commercial losses to illegal connections or water theft, meter errors, meter reading inaccuracies and unmetered connections.

“Commercial losses require heavy investments in smart metering and constituent technologies as well as behavioral and culture change among water firm’s staff and customers. NRW undermines the progressive realization of the right to water as enshrined in the Constitution as well as the government’s effort to attain its goal of universal water access by 2030,added Korir.

Kenya loses 430,000 cubic metres worth Ksh 12.2 billion on the country’s water resources.