Kenya, May 14 -- Access to piped water in cities in Kenya has dropped sharply. In 1989, 85% of homes had piped water, but this figure declined to just 40% by 2022. This information comes from recent reports, including the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS).
The decrease shows serious problems with water supply in urban areas due to rapid population growth and urbanization.
For example, in 1989, 84.8% of urban homes had piped water, but by 2019, that number fell to 42%, and then to 40.1% in 2022.
Experts believe this decline is due to old water systems, not enough investment, and the pressure from a growing urban population.
More than half of the people living in cities in Kenya are in informal settlements, where access to piped water can be as low as 12%.
This situation is especially hard for people in low-income areas. Many have to buy water from vendors or use unsafe sources like rivers and wells.
In Nairobi's informal settlements, people can pay as much as Ksh50 for 20 litres of water, while in middle-class neighbourhoods, piped water costs between Ksh34 and Ksh53 per cubic meter.
This difference puts a strain on families' budgets, with many spending over 3% of their income on water, which is more than what is considered affordable internationally.
The government has plans, such as the Kenya Vision 2030, to ensure that everyone has access to safe water by 2030.
However, some critics say that not enough money is spent, and the existing systems are not well maintained, making progress difficult.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, only 33% of households in the country have access to piped water, highlighting the gap between urban and rural areas.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.