This policy brief is based on 10 years of research in Kitui County, Kenya, supported by the REACH programme, the USAID Sustainable WASH Systems Learning Partnership, UNICEF, ESRC and UKAID. It finds the investment case for professionalized maintenance of drinking water infrastructure becomes compelling when factoring in wider social and economic returns.
Kenya
Legal and policy change to promote sustainable WASH services in Kitui County, Kenya
This report outlines water policy development in Kitui County, Kenya, over the past 10 years. The key contributions of the Kitui Water Bill and Policy are detailed, as well as three core recommendations to continue moving towards sustainable WASH services.
Fear, Efficacy, and Environmental Health Risk Reporting: Complex Responses to Water Quality Test Results in Low-Income Communities
This paper investigates how water quality information influences water safety management in rural Kenya. The authors find that while poverty threatscapes and gender norms hinder behaviour change, test results can motivate supply-level managers to implement hazard control measures.
Global prospects to deliver safe drinking water services for 100 million rural people by 2030
This report documents a global diagnostic survey to evaluate the status and prospects of rural water service providers from 68 countries.
Individual choices and universal rights for drinking water in rural Africa
This paper seeks to understand which attributes of water services rural people value. The authors modelled more than 11,000 choice observations in rural Kenya by attributes of drinking water quality, price, reliability, and proximity.
Summary Report | Water Security for Climate Resilience
This Summary presents the main findings and recommendations of the Water Security for Climate Resilience Report.
Water Security for Climate Resilience Report
This report presents a synthesis of published and ongoing research by REACH which explores the relationship between water security, climate and climate adaptation decisions. The report draws on findings from REACH research conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Exploring water access in rural Kenya: narratives of social capital, gender inequalities and household water security in Kitui county
This study uses qualitative methods to examine how values embedded in social capital enable women and vulnerable groups in Kenya’s Kitui County, to cope with household water insecurity.
Petrography and Geochemistry of the Rocks in Lodwar, Kenya and their Influences on Groundwater Quality
This paper evaluates the influence of rock chemistry on groundwater quality in the region of Lodwar County, Kenya. Rock geochemistry influences groundwater quality and the aquifer processes of an area. Therefore, this study used conventional petrography and geochemistry techniques to measure the mineralogical compositions of 69 rock samples. The geological study area comprised of quartzo-feldspathic gneiss and biotite gneiss of the Precambrian basement, as well as sedimentary Turkana Grits and Holocene sediments, Tertiary volcanics comprising nepheline phonolites and augite basalts, alluvial deposits along the banks of major Streams and laggas. Quaternary sands also blanket much of the area. The results demonstrate that that geological factors and processes have location-specific influence on groundwater quality. These should be considered in aquifer water-quality studies and supply development across Africa’s vast ASAL regions.
COVID-19 Impacts on Water Burden among Households in Turkana
This study assessed respondents’ views on the impact of the pandemic on water security and its burden on households in Turkana County, Kenya.
