It is an unchallenged fact that the commencement of the rainy season is welcome by the Kenyan populace at large to the extent that it signifies good tidings for the agricultural sector.
However, often times the rainy season heralds its fair share of challenges, particularly where proper planning is not in place.
From the loss of life in many parts of the country to the destruction of property, the rains have arguably brought to light areas for improvement in terms of water management.
This is particularly evident in our cities, which perennially face acute drainage challenges.
Rather than spell doom and gloom, this poses numerous opportunities to improve and build on the existing water management infrastructure. Provided we view the current onset of rain as an opportunity for progress and development and come up with innovative and sustainable water management solutions, future generations will be better placed to handle water crisis incidences.
This is particularly key given the heightened climate change debate.
It is expected that the effects of climate change will result in increased incidences of natural disasters in the foreseeable future, including acute droughts on the one hand, and devastating floods on the other.
This calls upon us to ensure that our water management infrastructure is up to the task and that we are adequately protected from water risks and vulnerabilities.
In light of the above, it is imperative that water management policy is sustainable, efficient and equitable – holistically capturing both the upstream and downstream segments of water management.
On the one hand, we have to ensure that available water resources are efficiently utilised and equitably distributed.
This requires innovative and dynamic solutions in terms of water usage and distribution. Given proper end-to-end water management, incidences of water rationing will indeed become history.
On the urban front, inadequate drainage infrastructure should be of paramount concern – with aging and dilapidated drainage systems being the order of the day, resulting in inefficient water collection and storage. Aside from posing risks to key infrastructure, this also poses significant health risks, with incidences of water-borne diseases being on the rise.
This is further compounded by the rapid population growth being experienced in urban areas, with a majority of the urban population living in unsanitary conditions, thereby increasing the risk of the spread of diseases.
This is all too familiar given the recent outbreaks of cholera in both Nairobi and Mombasa.
While renovating drainage infrastructure may be an expensive venture, it remains a do-able task. One only needs to look at the strides made by countries such as Japan and Singapore for guidance, whereby water management was successfully incorporated and addressed in the city design and development.
Indeed, urban areas can contribute immensely to water resources management, ecosystems and biodiversity conservation through their design and the infrastructures they rely on such as smart water systems and green roofs.
Karen Kandie
