Policy Memo: Water and Sanitation

Policy Memorandum

TO: FROM: DATE: RE: Minister of Natural Resources Government of Kenya CHAN Jin Hooi W&S Planning DC 3rd March 2005 Recommendation for water supply and sanitation improvements in Mityana

Introduction

The Government of Kenya is interested in undertaking infrastructure development in secondary towns to stimulate economic activities and growth. The Minister of Natural Resources has invited W&S Planning DC to recommend strategies for water and sanitation infrastructure development in Mityana, which might also be duplicated in similar communities throughout the country. This proposal is primarily based on a consultant’s report produced for the ministry in 19971.

Recommendations

W&S Planning DC recommends that the best strategies, for water and sanitation infrastructure development in secondary towns in general and Mityana in specific, are as follows: Institutional 1) Institute a central water and sanitation authority to initiate, regulate, oversee, and support infrastructure development in this sector; 2) Initiate a participatory project in which water user groups in different parts of towns are organized in order to mobilize households in their neighborhoods to contribute money and labor for commencement of the project; and 3) Develop a town based cooperative company to manage the services including staffing, maintenance, and billing responsibilities for any facilities that are installed. Profit of the cooperative, if any, shall be used for community development; Technology 1) Develop groundwater sources. The community can source for loans or grants for the development from local philanthropists and businessmen, regional development banks, international communities, and international NGOs; 2) Install public tap water distribution system with an option for private connection; 3) Encourage and install rainwater collection system; and 4) Construct public Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) with an option for private VIPs.

Ministry of Natural...