Low-income earning Kenyans will benefit from a subsidized water connection initiative set to start this year.
At least five water companies in the country have been identified at the pilot stage of the program.
They are the Kakamega County Water and Sanitation Company-KACWASCO, the Kiambu Water and Sewerage Company-KWCL, Amatsi Water Services Company-AWASCO, Oloolaiser Water and Sewerage Company-OWSC and the Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Company-MOWASSCO.
The whole initiative is by the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Allowance-GWOPA and will be overseen by the Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company-KIWASCO whose role will be purely mentorship of the five.
The KIWASCO was selected for the oversight position following a successful implementation of yet another similar pro-poor policy that is currently underway and will now receive all necessary equipment and support to enable it to deal with its current mandate.
The policy involves the provision of water and sanitation services to low-income earners mostly in informal settlements who cannot afford to pay for water and sanitation services conventionally.
The program will see low-income earners in these areas enjoy subsidized water tariffs in a five-year connection policy by the listed companies.
The acting CEO for KACWASCO Christabel Ashiono says the policies are efforts made by water companies to provide access to water as per the constitution.
The policies also work towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), Access to Water and Sanitation for all.
In Kakamega, KACWASCO continues to implement a pro-poor policy in informal settlements through the establishment of Water Kiosks and ablution blocks.
“In as much as water is a basic right for everyone, you realize that if we were to treat everyone the same, some people will not benefit. That’s why we need to subsidize services to ensure the people in those low-income areas, the pro-poor areas, are also benefitting,” she said.
She observed all the five companies enlisted under the subsidy program all fall within pro-poor areas hence they qualify for reduced tariffs.
The KACSWASCO serves over 30,000 people in the Kakamega, Mumias, Shitoli, Shinyalu, Tindinyo, Muranda, Lumakanda, Malava, and Butere Schemes by supplying over 33 000 litres of water daily to these areas.
She indicated that the company is seeking to partner with the Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency-LVNWWDA to enable a bulk water supply project from River Nzoia to supply uncovered areas.
