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Thursday 24 May 2012

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AWSB

 

A World First: A mobile phone-based water-billing system using the MPESA system, Kenya is the first country piloting these innovative systems that herald a new era in sustainability on all levels — technical, financial, environmental and social.

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Athi Water Services Board, Kenya

Athi Water Services Board (AWSB)

The Athi Water Services Board (AWSB) embodies the enormous strides made in the water industry today.

 

It is one of the eight state corporations created to bring about efficiency, economy and sustainability in the provision of water and sewerage services in Kenya under the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

 

The Board wass created under Section 51 of the Water Act 2002 and covers an area of about 15,000 square kilometres, serving a population of over 4.5 million.

 

It is mandated to improve water services provision in line with its maxim: Our Community is our Number One Priority. In addition to planning, developing and expanding water and sewerage structures, it also owns, holds and monitors water and sewerage service and contracts relevant services to providers. The AWSB covers Kiambu East, Kiambu West, Gatundu and Thika. 

 

Committed to Innovation
Thr Athi Water Services Board piloted a new innovation with Grundfos Lifelink last November on an automated borehole that focuses on ensuring revenue collection, hence providing a solution to the challenges of unaccounted-for water. Kenya is the first country piloting these innovative systems that herald a new era in sustainability on all levels — technical, financial, environmental, and social.

 

The solar-powered borehole is driven by and works with a pre-payment system based on M-PESA. The end-user receives a water key in the form of a chip. The key can be loaded with money from any M-PESA account. Once the user is at the tapping station, they insert the chip, and water flows automatically until the chip is removed. The tapping station automatically deducts the amount of credits used and transfers the money in a closed payment system.

 

The pilot project was funded 50% by the Athi Water Service Board and 50% by Grundfos Lifelink. It was handed over to the Rujwasco Water Service Provider to service and run the project and to ensure that the communities around would have access to water.

 

Excellent Service Delivery

The Board operates with the unique vision to expand coverage with a strong focus on improving access to water services in urban informal settlements and to the rural poor. It also aims to contribute to poverty reduction, promote gender equity, sensitise communities to good health and hygiene practices, promote HIV/Aids awareness and conserve the environment.

It also seeks to appoint viable and well managed water service providers and see that they have appropriate systems by enforcing quality monitoring, ensuring they have maintenance systems and procedures to minimise interruptions to supplies. It ensures they have accurate and efficient billing systems, remain customer-focused in all their activities and evaluate performances against targets for the Board and service providers.

 

The Athi Water Services Board is currently implementing different projects to meet the demand for water services such as rehabilitation of water infrastructure that will lead to secure sources for its jurisdiction and increase water production, rehabilitation of existing production and transmission facilities. Several infrastructure development projects have been initiated to increase the supply of water to Nairobi, Kiambu, Limuru, Gatundu and Thika.

 

The Board is confident that the fast pace of infrastructure development will realise amazing strides in the quest to offer sustainable services to the people of Nairobi and its environs. It is strongly committed to maintaining a strong sense of stewardship, as these projects roll out, and ultimately benefit the wider population.

 

In May 2010 AWSB embarked on a massive rainwater harvesting campaign in Nairobi, Thika, Kiambu, Limuru and Gatundu. The campaign is targeting institutions and individuals who own premises that can be used

  

to effectively harvest water to supplement what is received in the household/institution.

 

Towards this campaign, AWSB distributed 900 tanks and also helped in the guttering process. On March 12, 2009, President Mwai Kibaki launched the Kazi Kwa Vijana (KKV) Programme to facilitate the creation of opportunities to enable Kenyan youth to be gainfully employed and to earn a decent livelihood. Following the formation of this programme, AWSB has been at the forefront of employing youths to mitigate the current high unemployment rate that could likely lead to incidences of insecurity and rising crime rates.

 

AWSB commenced project operations on 1st April, 2009, with a budget allocation of KSh38 million for Phase I. AWSB, through the KKV Programme, has greatly helped 2,830 youths in getting short-term employment opportunities and this has evidently reduced crime and poverty. The Board is committed to implementing different projects to meet the demand for water services such as rehabilitation of infrastructure that will lead to secure water sources for its jurisdiction and increase production and rehabilitation of existing transmission facilities.

 

Over and above this is the rehabilitation and expansion of the Ruai Treatment Works to increase waste water collection, transmission and treatment, preparing a water service master plan for Nairobi and improving water and sewerage distribution networks through extensions and rehabilitation.
 

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