WRA Undertakes Flagship projects

WRA is undertaking 6 Capital projects towards achieving Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals.

According to Vision 2030 pillar on water and sanitation, Kenya aims to build a just and cohesive society with social equity in a clean and secure environment through water and sanitation; to ensure improved water and sanitation are available and accessible to all.

SDGs 13, 14 and 15 deal warrant the Authority to:

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts;

Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development;

Protect, restore, sustainable use of ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, combat desertification

They include:

1. Implementation of Sub catchment management plans
2. Construction of Rehabilitation of monitoring stations

• Kikuyu Springs Conservation

1. Nairobi River Restoration Program
2. Drilling Exploratory boreholes (Marsabit)
3. Lamu Ground Water Conservation

The six capital projects began in Mid-2016 and are scheduled to end on June 2017.

1. Implementation of Sub catchment management plans

WRA has a role in building adaptive and disaster risk resilient communities in relation to Climate change effects of droughts. 

This is under implementation through the implementation of water infrastructure activities to increase water storage within the 6 WRUAs based in the 6 Catchment areas targeted for the Capital projects.

2. Construction & Rehabilitation of Surface water monitoring stations

The Construction and Rehabilitation of monitoring stations are done to ensure the availability of regular data on water flows. The project will involve two activities – the first one involves automating ten sites through installing multiparameter telemetric stations which allow for measurements and other data collected at remote or inaccessible points and transmitted real-time to receiving equipment for monitoring.

The second activity: Rehabilitation of 60 Regular gauging stations begins with fulfilling 

two prerequisites (which have been carried out):

Technical assessment and extraction of information from the Daily History (DH) files.

The major areas to focus on during the technical assessment are;

The assessment of the control itself, i.e., the hydraulic condition of the stations and its ability to provide a unique (unambiguous) relationship between the stage (water level) and the discharge and to which extent the control (and thereby the stage-discharge relationship) will remain stable is the most essential part of the assessment.

ii. Extracting necessary information from the DH files.

The actual rehabilitation of 60 RGSS set to involve any of the following activities (based on a need by case basis):

Replacement of gauge plates

Installation of struts and gauge plates

Establishment of a benchmark

In all cases, a cross-section and establishment of a benchmark (where not found) will be done

So far, WRA has 220 RGS stations in place.

Proposed sites for Automation of telemetric stations

Proposed Stations for rehabilitation

3. Kikuyu Springs Aquifer Groundwater Protection

One of WRA’s key Strategic Objective is to “Improve the Protection of Water Resources within the country”. Based on this core function, WRA identifies and conserves groundwater resources under threat, amongst them, the Kikuyu Springs Aquifer.  This Aquifer is a significant public water source in the northwest of Nairobi area and hence vital water supply for the Capital City, Nairobi. 

Study of groundwater recharge to the Kikuyu springs

Land-use changes, the encroachment of the Ondiri Swamp and escalating groundwater abstraction are a source of concern for the long-term sustainability of the Kikuyu Springs as a public water supply source.  As a result of this, in 2011, WRA through Norken (I) Ltd., Engineering and Management Consultants carried out a study.

The objectives of this study were:-

To define and map the area or areas which constitute the recharge zone or zones for the Kikuyu Springs aquifer.

To quantify mean annual recharge to the recharge zone or zones, and describe parameters that are likely to lead to variation in natural recharge;

To describe the measures that should be put in place to protect the recharge area or areas from destructive land uses

To make recommendations as to whether the aquifer unit should be accorded “Special Aquifer” status with respect to the Water Resources Management Rules, 2007.

To define the limits of a groundwater conservation area or areas that might be gazetted so that the recharge areas or areas are protected in the future.

Findings of the study

The study showed that the Kikuyu Springs Aquifer extends over an area of 161 square kilometers, from Bathi Springs in the north to just beyond Nyakumu Swamp in the south.

Map 1. Proposed Groundwater Conservation Area (GCA) for the Kikuyu Springs Aquifer

It was noted that

The main Kikuyu Springs recharge rock is in Limuru although groundwater infiltrates way down into the Karura and Kabete areas, which form the second of the two main aquifers. 

A clear recharge path is developed between Bathi Springs in the north, through Kikuyu Springs to Kerarapon Springs south of the aquifer. 

The total annual recharge amounts to 13.2 Million Cubic Meters (MCM) against an abstraction of 6.7 MCM from boreholes and 2.3 MCM abstracted from Kikuyu Springs discharge.  Up to 68% of the annual recharge is abstracted, which should raise concern in view of the lack of a Reserve declared for the aquifer.

Abstraction in the northern zone will have more impact on the system than abstraction in the lower zone around Ondiri swamp and Kikuyu springs and should be regulated. 

The study finally recommended that;

Alternative water supply sources for the settlements in the main recharge zones of the aquifer are investigated. 

The recharge areas must be protected against degradation. 

A Reserve volume should be declared for the Kikuyu Springs Aquifer to regulate the amount of water being abstracted

Kikuyu Springs Aquifer Draft Groundwater Management Guidelines

WRA prepared the draft Management Guidelines after extensive stakeholder consultations from the proposed Groundwater Conservation Area (GCA), including water users, area Members of Parliament, Members of County Assembly, and other institutions. The GCA is established in accordance with the Water Act (2002) and the Water Resources Management Rules, 2007 (with amendments in 2012).

The Water Resources Management Rules, 2007 outline the process of identifying areas to be designated as groundwater protection and conservation areas. Part XI Rule 123(1) states that:

Pursuant to Sections 17 and 44 of the Act (Water Act 2002), the Authority may identify a catchment area, part of a catchment area or water resource to be identified as areas to be protected or designated as groundwater conservation areas if the Authority is satisfied that doing so is necessary for the protection of the water resource and its multiple uses.

Part D of the Sixth Schedule sets out the contents of management rules or plans related to a protected area or groundwater conservation area and may include:

Procedures to be applied for the management of the Protected Area or Groundwater Conservation Area;

Prohibited activities.

The objective of the GCA guidelines is to provide a framework under which groundwater use within the conservation area will be undertaken in a manner such that the desired future condition of the resource is fulfilled.

Consequently, the desired future condition of the GCA is summarized as follows:

Groundwater quality remains potable by Kenyan Standards (KEBS: KS 05-459: Part 1: 1996);

Annual renewable groundwater recharge is sustained at or over the year 2012 level, subject to climate change effects;

Annual groundwater abstraction does not exceed 70% of the total aquifer recharge.

Artesian pressure is maintained at a level that can sustain Ondiri Swamp and Kikuyu Springs.

Other groundwater-dependent ecosystems, here identified as wetlands, are protected.

WRA Achievements in regards to the gazettement of the Kikuyu Springs;

A gazette notice was published in the local dailies on 12^th June 2013 with the aim of gazetting the Kikuyu Springs recharge areas as a groundwater protection zone and groundwater conservation areas. This raised several concerns from the public which required further clarification on the meaning and implications of gazettement to the communities living in the delineated areas proposed for gazettement.

A series of sensitization and consultative meetings have been held since then;

3 community sensitization meetings were held through Onkaru, Gitangu Gitathuro and Mweteta Water Resources Users Associations (WRUAs) between August and October 2013

On 14^th March 2014 WRA held a consultative forum with key stakeholders at Wida Highway Motel

2 sensitization meetings were held between WRA and MCAs for Kikuyu, Lari, Kabete and Limuru Sub-County on September and October 2014

A consultative meeting between WRA and Kiambu Members of Parliament was held on 3^rd December 2014 at the Intercontinental Hotel, where the MPs requested WRA to develop the Management Guidelines to be discussed with all involved stakeholders before the actual gazettement process takes place

A consultative meeting between WRA, the MCAs, and CECs from County Government of Kiambu was held on 17^th January 2017 at the Kilimo Grand Resort Hotel, Thogoto

A three-day meeting shall be held on 31^st January to 2^nd February 2017 between WRA and a great number of stakeholders to extensively sensitize and exploit any issues before the actual gazettement. This meeting is also meant to adopt the draft Management Guidelines to be followed one the gazettement of the area is done.

4.Nairobi River Restoration Program

WRA as the Lead Agency in water resources management is mandated by the Water Act 2002 Section 8(1), among other tasks to regulate and protect water resources from adverse impacts; manage and protect water catchments; liaise with stakeholders for the better regulation and management of water resources. The Authority has made this possible through various Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approaches, which involve multi-faceted interventions to address the myriad of issues and challenges in water resources.  The Authority has been working closely with the various stakeholder groups including Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs), Private Sector, County Governments, NGOs, Academia and Public Sector Agencies

In a bid to rehabilitate, restore and sustainably manage water resources within the Athi River basin, which includes Nairobi River and its tributaries, WRA developed the Athi River Restoration Programme (ARRP) which is a capital project planned to be implemented in five years at an estimated cost of Kenya Shillings 2.5 billion.

Following the strategic importance of Nairobi River Basin, WRA intends to spearhead the rehabilitation and restoration efforts of Nairobi River in the same vein as the Athi River Restoration program. Accordingly, WRA in collaboration with the Ministry will endeavor to mobilize the needed resources towards the implementation of this program. In this regard, the Ministry requested expert assistance from the US Government for this important initiative. The US Water Partnership has already committed to supporting by engaging two consultants to work with the Government of Kenya.

The Nairobi River Basin comprises of 3 main rivers: Ngong, Nairobi, and Mathare. The rivers join east of Nairobi and meet River Athi, eventually flowing to the Indian Ocean.  Other tributaries of Nairobi River Basin include; Kamiti river (Gathara-ini), Rui Ruaka, Karura Ruiru, and Kirichwa. 

The rivers are mostly narrow and highly polluted. Currently, about 56 percent of the city residents live in 46 highly congested informal and middle-class settlements mainly located along the Nairobi River banks. The Rivers are polluted with uncollected garbage; human waste from informal settlements; industrial wastes in the form of gaseous emissions, liquid effluents, agrochemicals, petrochemicals, metals, and over-flowing sewers.

The most worrying trend is the industrial and medical waste harboring toxic chemicals and heavy metals that end up in the Indian Ocean. The domestic and international tourism sectors are not spared with visitors getting harboring concerns about the safety of their favorite seafood.

The Authority intends to carry out the following interventions in a bid to rehabilitate the Nairobi River:

      Way forward

1. Convening of a meeting to deliberate on the following issues:

• Presentation and Discussions on the NRRP
• Formation of Task Teams (TTs) to address the various subprograms and concretize actions for the following task areas, among others
• Development of comprehensive Integrated solid waste management system for riparian communities
• Identification of options and defining estimated costs for repairing and installing sewerage and associated infrastructure
• Development of a Master Plan for economic and residential uses of the riparian zone, in concert with local stakeholders, communities and the private sector
• Identification of Water Quality improvement and Pollution Control interventions to address the following challenges:
• Pollution from agrochemicals (fertilizers and pesticide residues from farmlands)
• Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company’s sewerage treatment facilities (Dandora, and Kariobangi discharging into Nairobi River and Kahawa west ponds discharging into Kiu River
• Kiambu Water and Sewerage Company’s sewerage treatment facility discharging into Riara River
• Identification of Conservation initiatives to address the following challenges:
• Soil erosion from overgrazed land, degraded catchments and infrastructural developments e.g road networks
• Unmanaged storm waters from urban centers
• Wetland and riparian restoration
• River training and bank protection
• Development of ToRs for the Task Teams
• Seeking commitments from those in attendance in terms of supporting the program – receiving proposals and pledges in support of the program
• Formation of a Secretariat to coordinate the program

2. Holding a Workshop to:

Receive and discuss work plans and budgets from the Task Teams

Prepare a combined work plan and budget for the program activities

Prepare work schedules

3. Launch of the Nairobi River Basin Restoration and Rehabilitation Programme:

Presentation of the program

Presentation of the work plan and budget

Inauguration of the program