Water Harvesting and Storage
The water harvesting and storage sub-sector deals with policy formulation and regulation for water harvesting and storage for public and domestic use, the development and maintenance of water harvesting and storage public infrastructure and public sensitization on policy, regulations and standards. It focusses on increasing availability of strategic and domestic capacity of water for use by all Kenyans at all times including water for economic uses.
The Ministry of Water and Sanitation develops water harvesting and storage policy and is in charge of water harvesting and storage sub-sector coordination. It also undertakes technical quality assurance for water harvesting and storage infrastructure development, sourcing of water harvesting and storage infrastructure financing and develops quality water harvesting and storage sub-sector data and information. Water harvesting and storage investments oversight actions it undertakes entails the following:
- Provision of water storage works project management operational policy and capacity building support for implementing institutions and county governments
- Water storage projects development intra-sector, cross-sector and inter-governmental coordination support
- Water storage strategic projects development team technical backstopping support
- Water storage projects development technical and operational quality assurance and control
- Water storage projects development strategic public communication
- Milestones tracking and reporting of critical water harvesting and storage projects development .
- In liaison with the Investment planning, provides top notch technical leadership in inception, reconnaissance, feasibility, preliminary design of all types of dams for water storage in Kenya.
- Reviewing and approving guidelines on institutional arrangements on ownership, management, financing of national water storage and flood control systems
County Governments are in charge of development of county public water works including county public water harvesting and storage works as per Schedule 4 of the Constitution.
Water Resources Authority is in charge of regulation and compliance on the management and use of water resources and this includes of development of engineering standards for water harvesting and storage infrastructure development for dam safety. Water harvesting and storage infrastructure regulated by WRA include all sizes of dams and water pans.
National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority – exists to undertake on behalf of the national government, (a) the development of national public water works, for water resources storage and flood control; (b) maintain and manage national public water works infrastructure for water resources storage; (c) collect and provide information for the formulation by the Cabinet Secretary of the national water resources storage and flood control strategies; (d) develop a water harvesting policy and enforce water harvesting strategies.
- Increased water resilience in Kenya
- Increased adoption of domestic water harvesting technology.
- Strengthened human resources capacity on water infrastructure harvesting and storage development and maintenance including for county governments.