More than 19,000 households have benefited from a water project that targets at improving water supply in informal settlements in Kisumu county.
The project is an initiative of the Kisumu Water and Sanitation Services Company (Kiwasco) in partnership with Sustainable Aid in Africa International (Sana).
Speaking during the Kisumu Water Symposium at Vic Hotel on Wednesday in Kisumu, Sana team leader Alfred Adongo said the number of people who could access clean and safe water in informal settlements before the implementation of the project was at 5,000 households.
“Remember in Kisumu, we had a situation where there was very little water production. Initially the number of people living in low income residential areas who could access clean and safe water was at 5,000,” said Mr Adongo.
He said that the water pro-poor model of implementation of water services puts the poor at the centre of intervention.
“We have managed to get both Kisumu and Nakuru water companies to have a focus on the poor. Both utilities have the pro-poor unit and we have made sure their positions are institutionalised,” he said.
Mr Adongo said more than 25,000 households were being targeted in the pro-poor model of implementation of water services at affordable rates.
He argued that majority of the people in the urban settings reside in the low income residential areas.
Okeyo Okura a resident of Buoye said through the initiative, communities can now access clean and safe water.
“Initially, we would collect water from the rivers several kilometers away. We end up taking contaminated water resulting to waterborne diseases such typhoid and cholera,” said Okura.
He added that with pro-poor water models they can sell clean water to the community at Sh2 per 20 litre jerican.