• According to available data, the country is losing about Sh10 billion worth of water annually an amount that can be reinvested in the water sector.
• Nyeri has one of the companies making a huge loss but the county government is working closely with other development partners to reduce it.
Only one of five water provision companies in Nyeri county has achieved the international benchmark for non-revenue water.
Non-revenue water is water produced but lost before reaching consumers.
Nyeri Water executive Fredrick Kinyua said only Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company (NYEWASCO) has met the benchmark. He said the government is working closely with the other four to ensure they reduce water loss.
NYEWASCO’s non-revenue water is around 16 per cent, while international best practices should be below 20 per cent.
He said Naromoru Water and Sanitation Company Limited (NAROWASCO) stands at around 35 per cent while Mathira Water and Sanitation Company (MAWASCO) is at 48 per cent.
The county government, he said, is working on a project together with Mawasco to ensure that they go to below 30 per cent.
“The others, Tetu-Aberdare Water and Sanitation Company (TEAWASCO) and Othaya-Mukurwe-ini Water Services Company (OMWASCO) are closing the gap although OMWASCO is actually still lagging behind but we are committed as a county and we are going to ensure that that is reduced,” he said.
“Remember this is treated water that is being lost,” he said.
The huge amount of loss in terms of money could have been reinvested in the water sector, he said.
Nyeri, he said, has one of the companies making a huge loss. He said the county government is working closely with other development partners to reduce the loss.
Kinyua said some of the losses include commercial losses emanating from water theft. Others include water leakages and unmetered connections.
“The county is encouraging the water companies to utilise technology particularly GIS (Geographic Information System) in mapping out all the water connections so as to know the areas the water is being lost and use the DMEs (Distance Measuring Equipment) to identify the actual areas of leakages,” he said.
This, he said, will help work towards curbing the loss.
Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company (MUWASCO) managing director Daniel Ng’ang’a, who is the chairman of WASPA, said the umbrella which brings 88 Water companies together is working with private sectors to accelerate water connection in the country.
“We are companies operating under the county government, and we are seeking more support in terms of resources and revenue so that we can increase connectivity to customers,” he said.
They spoke during a four-day water loss conference held at Green Hills Hotel in Nyeri Town for all water provision companies.
The conference was themed Addressing Water Loss In The 21st Century Using Culture Change and Technology.
The conference was meant to share ideas on ways of reducing non-revenue water.
It was organised by Water Services Providers Association (WASPA), which is an Umbrella body for water provision companies.
The conference runs from Tuesday to Friday this week.