Inaccessible and Unaffordable? The State of Water and Sanitation Services in Nairobi, Kenya
Obel Lena Omina1, Wang Tao2, Wang Feng3, Edwin Kipkirui4
1Obel Lena Omina, Department of Environmental science, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
2Prof. Wang Tao, Department of Environmental Science, College of Environmental Science and Engineering (Researcher), Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
3Dr. Wang Feng, Department of Environmental Science, College of Environmental Science and Engineering (Lecturer), Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
4Edwin Kipkirui, Department of Environmental Science, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Manuscript received on 11 April 2024 | Revised Manuscript received on 04 May 2024 | Manuscript Accepted on 15 May 2024 | Manuscript published on 30 May 2024 | PP: 16-24 | Volume-4 Issue-1, May 2024 | Retrieval Number: 100.1/ijee.A185204010524 | DOI: 10.54105/ijee.A1852.04010524
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© The Authors. Published by Lattice Science Publication (LSP). This is an open-access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: As the limited water resources become increasingly stressed by factors such as rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change, the need for sustainable urban water management is more important than in the past decades. A large part of the world’s population still lacks access to clean water and sanitation, making achieving Sustainable Development Goals a challenge. Water is an indispensable resource and plays an important role in ensuring the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, there is a need to prioritize research on the availability, affordability, and access of water resources to promote sustainable water resource management. In this study, we reviewed academic articles and published reports from various institutions and organizations to assess water sources, infrastructure, coverage, accessibility, and affordability of water and sanitation services in Nairobi County. The study identified Nairobi’s main water sources as municipal water, primarily from surface water and groundwater. However, the capacities of the water sources, treatment plants, and wastewater treatment plants were found to be insufficient, resulting in water shortages in most parts of the city. Most of the infrastructures were also found to be insufficient and old, contributing to water distribution inefficiencies, frequent leakages, and pipe bursts which hampers water reliability. The study suggests prioritizing the water and sanitation sector in government budgets to increase infrastructure development investments and funding. Appropriate wastewater treatment methods should also be adopted and implemented to enable wastewater to meet water consumption standards and be potentially integrated into supply systems.
Keywords: Municipal Water; Water Accessibility; Water Affordability; Water and Sanitation Services
Article of the Scope: Social Impacts of Wastewater Collection and Treatment