Waruku Water and Sanitation Project
Project description
Project Location
Waruku, Westlands Division, Nairobi
Duration
2007
Beneficiaries
2,000 - 2,500 residents of the area, workers on transit from Kawangware and the refugees around UNHCR
Partner: Athi Water Services Board, Maji an Ufanisi, Waruku community
Purpose: Establishment of water and environmental sanitation micro-enterprises that will lead to improvement in health and economic well being of women, men, youth and children of Waruku and users from other areas.
Waruku occupies approximately 131,490 m2 with a population of about 6,000 people of multi-ethnic background. This translates into a population density of 457 persons/ha. Like the other informal settlements of Nairobi, it has inadequate, unsafe and inefficient water supply and sanitation systems. It is estimated that about 60 persons share a poorly constructed latrine, 231 share an illegally connected standpipe and 353 share a 1m3 storage. These facilities are not within reach, for a majority of the residents.
In terms of sanitation, there has not been a public or communal toilet block or any facility for the public and the few other pit latrines in the area are in deplorable condition. A sizable percentage of the population still uses the flying toilets. There is also enormous load of uncollected solid waste that also greatly contributes to the sorry environmental situation in the village. Drainage situation is still wanting despite previous attempts by Maji na Ufanisi to make some improvements.
Outputs
Overall it is expected that 1,200 persons will use suitable toilets and 300 persons will have a decent bath every day.
- The price of water in the villages will reduce from an average of Kshs. 5 to Kshs. 2
- Increase in potable water.
- Reduced average walking distances from 1km to 200metres for villagers and traders in search of portable water and increased per capita water consumption.
- Enhanced community cohesion, democratic participation and project management skills necessary for sustainable communal initiatives
- Reduced illegal connection and Unaccounted for Water (UfW) in the area
- Increased revenue for Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company
- Increased income for beneficiary households emanating from employment in the facility, shareholding dividends, conducting business in relation to operation and management of the facility (exhausting pits, etc) and new investment in small scale enterprises.