Government agencies are the worst polluters of water and the main defaulters in payment, the Water Resources Authority has said.
Chairman Joe Mutambo on Friday said unless radical measures are taken, water institutions will continue to fail Kenyans.
He warned that residents in major urban centres like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Thika may have to suffer the consequences of lack of water should the regulator disconnect water supply.
He spoke at the end of a three-day induction seminar of newly appointed members of different water boards in the country.
“All parastatals and private entities must take responsibility for us to rectify this water sector,” said the chairman.
Mutambo said the authority should be collecting about Sh10 billion a year but collects a paltry Sh300 million because of the defaulting government agencies.
“The reason is those who are defaulting are Nairobi Water, Coast Water, Thika Water. They do not pay their fees. We are asking them to pay, or we will disconnect water for Mombasa, Nairobi, Thika and everywhere in the country so that people take their responsibility of paying,” Mutambo said.
He said the Coast Water Works Development Agency, formerly Coast Water Services Board, does not pay its dues to the Water Resources Authority.
“How does it expect WRA to inspect where there is pollution? It must pay because the law says those with debts must pay,” Mutambo, said.
The sewerage system in Mombasa is ineffective and hotels at the Coast may be discharging effluent into the water bodies including the Indian Ocean and the small rivers.
Water and Sanitation Chief Administrative Secretary Winnie Guchu said there will have to be a meeting with all the water agencies in the country so as to find an amicable solution.
She said the success of the water sector depends on the water boards.
“We don’t want to dwell on the problems. We want to dwell on the solutions,” she said.
The sector is affected by inadequate resources and the CAS urged the water institutions and agencies to be innovative.
“We don’t have enough funds but the little funds available cannot be absorbed properly. This is a difficult challenge to comprehend,” the CAS said.
She urged the water institutions to invest heavily on human capital.
“An empowered people is the biggest resource. The money will just follow if you invest properly in the human capital,” Guchu said.
