Capacity building and the funding gap: electrifying developments from Kenya work visits

from left to right, Robin Britsemmer, Peter de Koning, Peter Vos, and George Sanga and the National Bank of Kenya.

The funding gap and how to mobilise investments for better water services

World Waternet has been active in Kenya since 2017, collaborating with Nairobi City Water and Sewage Company (NCWSC) and the Water Resources Authority (WRA) to strengthen local capacity, build knowledge on Integrated Water Resources Management, and provide safe and clean drinking water and sanitation services.

Main requirements for accessing new investments

In 2024, a mid-term review of the WaterWorX Water Operators’ Partnerships was conducted globally. One of the major findings underscored the importance of investment mobilisation to increase access to water and sanitation. It emphasised the need for a multi-pronged approach, including concept note and proposal development, establishing dialogue with donors (both international and local), and engaging with governments.

Bridging the funding gap through strategic planning

In the first quarter of 2025, our finance and investment experts worked with the management of NCWSC to chart a clear path for bridging the funding gap in Kenya’s water sector. This was done by ensuring that investment mobilisation activities are clearly reflected in the upcoming Strategic Plan 2025–2029. Two short-term experts (STEs), Peter Vos and Robin Britsemmer, dedicated significant effort to forging connections with financial institutions such as the National Bank of Kenya (NBK), Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), County Pension Fund (CPF), African Development Bank (AfDB), and Invest International.

A promising project portofolio

All these financial partners showed strong interest in NCWSC’s project portfolio, particularly initiatives focused on non-revenue water (NRW) and renewable energy. In the coming quarters, both parties will continue to pursue these opportunities actively, with another investment mission planned for Q2.

Dutch water expert visit

In March, four Dutch experts from Waternet, Aa & Maas, and WDOD waterschappen visited Kenya to support critical water management initiatives, including river health assessments, catchment restoration, mobile water level monitoring, and law enforcement. Collaborating closely with stakeholders from the Water Resources Authority (WRA) and Water Resource User Associations (WRUAs), they built on previous successes such as the Citizen Science project implemented last year in the Thika area. That initiative equipped eight WRUAs with tools and training for effective river health assessments. This year’s visit focused on data collection and results dissemination. The experts also supported efforts to train and equip gauge readers for mobile water level monitoring and helped rehabilitate a groundwater monitoring station.

Electrolysis for safer water treatment and cross-project collaboration

From 10–14 March, Bas van Efferen and Fenna Philipse, two engineers from Waternet, led a mission to enhance water production for NCWSC, focusing on safer disinfection practices. Bas introduced an innovative electrolyser installation designed to produce sodium hypochlorite—a safer alternative to chlorine gas—while carefully addressing safety concerns such as the management of explosive hydrogen by-products. The mission also included a strategic visit to Embu, home to the Blue Deal Kenya partnership, where the team assessed and advised on the local water production system at EWASCO (Embu Water & Sanitation Company), strengthening and emphasising the importance of local collaboration.

Waternet engineers Bas van Efferen and Fenna Philipse visited the EWASCO treatment plant.

Looking forward: returning experts and scaling up

Building on recent field activities, the WRA and World Waternet have identified strategic priorities for the first half of the year. These include providing technical support for the revision of the Thika Upper WRUA Sub-Catchment Management Plan, building on the work completed in 2024 with the Thika Mid plan. Capacity-building efforts will also continue, particularly through training and application of the water evaluation and planning modelling tool.

In 2024, six hydrologists from the Tana Basin received training from HDSR expert Mr Epke van der Werf. This year, he will return to extend the training to hydrologists in the Athi River and Rift Valley Basins, working alongside Pauline Nyamu, a former Young Expert Programme (YEP) participant, under a train the trainer approach. Additionally, improvements in law enforcement practices will move forward under the guidance of short-term expert Vincent Groenewoud from Waterschap Drents Overijsselse Delta (WDOD), with a focus on enhancing revenue collection systems and increasing participation incentives to support the long-term sustainability of the water authority.