A few Kenyans have access to piped water

By Ally Jamah

Only 30 of every 100 Kenyans have access to piped water, according to the 2009 census results.

Figures released yesterday showed Western Province suffered the lowest access to piped water (seven of every 100 households) followed by Nyanza at eight out of every 100.

North Eastern Province, normally associated with water scarcity, scored better, with 11 of every 100 households accessing piped water.

Nairobi scored the highest figure, with 75 per cent of households having access to piped water, though it may not flow regularly.

Coast Province had 46 per cent access, slightly better than Central Province, which had 39 per cent access.

Eastern stood at 28 per cent ahead of Rift Valley at 22 per cent.

A recent health estimate showed that many diseases in Kenya’s health facilities, including typhoid, bilharzia and cholera, are waterborne.

Aging pipes

Water PS David Stower recently said Kenya still relied on an aging network of water pipes constructed in the early years of Independence. He called for heavy investment to upgrade the country’s water infrastructure to boost access to clean water for Kenyans.

Interestingly, 35 per cent of Kenyans still get water from boreholes, springs or wells, majority of which have not been inspected or certified.

A significant number (21 per cent) still uses raw water directly from streams, posing a risk of water-borne diseases and heavy metal industrial poisoning.

Despite a heightened public campaign for Kenyans to harvest rainwater in the past few years to supplement dwindling supplies from rivers and lakes, only one per cent heeded.

North Eastern Province residents harvest and use rain water more than Nairobi’s, yet the city receives relatively more rainfall every year.