Kenya: In Kisumu, Lake Victoria’s water is becoming safe to drink
published on 22 March 2018
In Kenya’s third largest city, Kisumu, the proximity of Lake Victoria does not ensure access to clean water for the 600,000 residents. Since 2002, AFD has been supporting a comprehensive project for the management of the city’s water and sanitation services, for which a new component will be launched in 2018.
The development of the city of Kisumu really started with the arrival of the train in 1901. It was in the 1980s that water production stopped meeting demand. Today, we are covering the needs of the population until 2030.
Increasing and diversifying resources
Two water intakes, one directly in Lake Victoria and the other in the hills, at the River Kibos, have already been rehabilitated. They will cover the estimated needs of the population, which are growing sharply, until 2030. These two plants comprise pumping, but also water treatment prior to storage in reservoirs.
They are complementary: as Lake Victoria experiences periods of pollution caused by human activity and invasion by the water hyacinth, its treatment sometimes becomes complicated. The river is then the only available source of water for the city. In the event of drought, it is the lake which is the main source. Generally speaking, the river’s pumping system, which operates using natural gravity, is used rather than the lake’s system. The result: a continuous water supply, 24 hours a day, against 6 hours a day previously, and a water with quality in line with WHO standards.
Making water accessible to all
The project comprises a component for the rehabilitation and extension of water distribution networks, which specifically targets deprived neighborhoods, including Nyalenda where there are 100,000 residents.
These low-income areas use a delegated management model that is unique in Africa: chief operators selected in local communities buy water from the specialized company (KIWASCO) and distribute it to residents. The chief operator is responsible for everyone’s payment for their water consumption and handles the connection of new users.
The water is sold at Ksh 25 for 1,000 liters to operators, who sell it at Ksh 43 to consumers, against Ksh 53 in the rest of the city. Thanks to the profits made, Vincent pays the wages of two employees, who help him in his trade. Today, 74% of the residents of Kisumu benefit from a network connection. The new project aims at increasing this rate.
© AFD
Reducing pollution in the lake
The presence of an urban area on the shores of the lake means that there is a higher risk of pollution. Wastewater treatment, which is often forgotten in development projects, is a component of the project supported by AFD. The rehabilitation of a wastewater treatment plant in Kisat has already been financed. The discharges are first treated using a system of bacteria, which feed on most of the toxic agents present in water, and are then filtered in the various basins.
A system of stabilization basins has also been rehabilitated in the Nyalenda area. For the moment, 16% of the city’s wastewater is treated. With the new ongoing project, the treatment capacity will reach 40 to 50% by 2020.
