Why having gutters on your building will soon be a must
Ministry of Water has launched of the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority’s Strategic Plan 2022–2027 in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- The goal is to increase water storage by 148.6 million cubic metres by 2026 and enhance sustainability of constructed water structures.
- Ministry of Water also aims at building and maintaining 70km of dykes, 125 water pans and dams, and drilling 203 boreholes.
You may soon be required to have gutters on your house or building to harvest and store rain water, once regulations by the Ministry of Water are enforced.
The water harvesting and storage regulations are now in place, while the strategy is at the final stage of Cabinet approval, said Water Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki at the launch of the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority’s Strategic Plan 2022–2027 in Nairobi yesterday.
“As a sector, we have a target of 80 per cent water coverage in the country by the end of 2022 from the current level estimated at 70 per cent, and sewerage from the current level of 28 per cent to 40 per cent,” said Ms Kariuki.
The goal is to increase water storage by 148.6 million cubic metres by 2026 and enhance sustainability of constructed water structures through operations and maintenance.
The ministry also aims to protect and save lives and property from floods and drought by building and maintaining 70km of dykes, 125 water pans and dams, and drilling 203 boreholes.
This comes after many Kenyans were affected by floods as well as drought.
On April 23, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported flooding in Tana River, Busia, Kisumu, Garissa and Marsabit counties. It also reported two fatalities and 25,958 people from 4,493 households displaced. Large swathes of crop were damaged in the Tana River basin.
Speaking at the launch, the authority’s board chairman Maj (Rtd) Gen Andrew Ikenye, said the plan provides a roadmap that will help the country develop and manage national water infrastructure towards enhancing water security, flood mitigation and storage for multi-purpose use.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Sharon Obonyo highlighted the strategic objectives of the institution, adding that the plan will also be instrumental in ensuring that policy issues as per legal and regulatory guidelines are implemented.
Further, she said, it will see the institution’s financial sustainability, corporate image and customer service delivery enhanced.
