Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru’s innovative clean water model is gaining global recognition as a delegation from the World Bank and Mozambique visits for benchmarking.
Kirinyaga’s pioneering strategy to enhance access to safe and affordable water in underserved rural areas has drawn international interest. The visiting delegation explored the eWATER model, focusing on community engagement, water conservation, affordable pricing, and the integration of technology in water distribution.
Since 2019, Kirinyaga has collaborated with eWATER to ensure a reliable water supply in regions that previously relied on unsafe sources. Under this partnership, eWATER designs, finances, and installs smart water systems, while the County Government offers infrastructure, land access, and regulatory support.
During a visit to Kiriko Village, County Executive Committee Member for Environment Kinyua Mutugi highlighted that this partnership has successfully established 177 community smart taps, 83 household connections, and six institutional connections in Gathigiriri Ward. This network now serves approximately 17,000 residents across seven villages, providing treated water at an affordable rate of Sh5 for a 20-liter jerrycan.
“We have united with eWATER, a private enterprise, to ensure that the people of Gathigiriri Ward gain access to clean water. This project has proven to be highly successful,” stated Mutugi, emphasizing the importance of partnerships in enhancing access to safe water.
The county government continues to prioritize water accessibility, with Governor Anne Waiguru announcing an allocation of Ksh. 200 million in the last and current financial years for water projects, along with additional investments through various partnerships. In the current financial year alone, the county government is implementing 38 water initiatives and has completed over 70 projects across different wards.
“To ensure that residents have access to clean domestic water, we have partnered with eWATER to serve approximately 7,000 residents in Mahigaini, Kirogo, Kamucege, and parts of Tebere,” Waiguru remarked.
The World Bank delegation expressed their choice of Kenya, particularly Kirinyaga, as a case study for effective rural water access solutions. Chantul Richey, a World Bank representative from Mozambique, noted the institution’s commitment to a large-scale rural development project aimed at expanding water access.
“We frequently discuss Kenya’s exemplary distribution of water in rural areas, highlighting its innovative and cost-effective systems,” she commented, expressing gratitude for the insights gained from Kirinyaga.
Caudina Bebane, Project Coordinator of the Agua Segura project in Mozambique, shared the delegation’s keen interest in understanding community involvement in water service management. “We aim to learn about water preservation, accessibility, and the factors that encourage people to willingly pay for water,” she said, appreciating the valuable exchange of experiences with Kirinyaga County and Kenya.
For the residents of Gathigiriri, this project has transformed unsafe canal water into treated water conveniently located near their homes. Freshia Wambui, a resident of Kiriko Village and an eWATER user, recounted the community’s previous reliance on irrigation canals contaminated with agricultural and animal waste.
“Before eWATER, we relied on dirty canal water, often finding used diapers and other waste in it,” she explained. Wambui noted that the project has significantly improved hygiene and reduced waterborne diseases, allowing residents to enjoy clean water for drinking, cooking, washing clothes, and caring for young children. “Disease incidence has greatly decreased,” she added.
Through this model, residents utilize mobile money to top up their eWATER tags, paying only for the water they consume. This approach enables the operator to provide water services while keeping costs manageable for rural households.
eWATER has successfully operated in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Gambia, dispensing over 1.5 billion liters of water and serving approximately 380,000 people across Africa in the last decade.
