Introduction
Access to safe water is crucial for community well-being. According to UNICEF (2024), 59% of Kenyans have reliable access to safe drinking water, an improvement from 47% in 2000. County Governments, including Tharaka Nithi, have developed policies to improve water access, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where water scarcity is a major challenge.
For many households, fetching water is time-consuming and physically demanding. Climate change has worsened water shortages, making it essential to implement sustainable solutions. The high cost of developing and maintaining water infrastructure has led to increased reliance on public-private partnerships (PPPs) to bridge the gap.
To expand water access, Tharaka Nithi County sought support from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. With this support, key water supply schemes—including the Chuka and Chogoria Bulk Water Supplies—were handed over to the Nithi Water and Sanitation Company (NIWASCO) for maintenance and service provision by August 2024. These bulk water systems were designed to improve water distribution efficiency and reduce non-revenue water losses.
However, despite these improvements, many households and trading centers remained underserved. In response, the County embarked on drilling and rehabilitating boreholes in semi-arid areas. While this provided a temporary solution, long-term sustainability became a challenge. The lack of structured maintenance led to frequent borehole breakdowns, as communities lacked both technical capacity and financial resources for upkeep.
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