National Water Resources Management Strategy (NWRMS).

This National Water Resources Management Strategy (NWRMS), resulting from the new operational environment as detailed in the Water Act 2002, provides a clear, accountable and transparent roadmap for assessing, maintaining, enhancing, developing and managing the limited available, renewable, freshwater resources using an integrated approach and on a sustainable basis. The fundamental objectives for managing Kenya’s water resources are enshrined in the Water Act. Sections 11(1) and 11(2) define the National Water Resources Management Strategy in accordance with which, the water resources of Kenya shall be managed, protected, used, developed conserved and controlled. The Strategy, in accordance with the Act, prescribes the principles, objectives, procedures and institutional arrangements for the conservation and control of water resources including: Classifying water resources; Determining the requirements of the reserve for each water resource; Identifying areas designated as protected and groundwater conservation areas. The Strategy defines overarching and specific principles on which it is based. General principles include equitable access to water services, to the use of water resources, and to the benefits from the use of water resources, the sustainable use of water by making progressive adjustments to water use with the objective of striking a balance between water availability and legitimate water requirements, and by implementing measures to protect water resources, and efficient and effective water use for optimum social and economic benefit. efficient and effective water use for optimum social and economic benefit.
Taking into account that the overall goal of the Strategy is to eradicate poverty through the provision of potable water for human consumption and water for productive use and the fundamental objectives for managing Kenya’s water resources are to achieve equitable access to water resources and their sustainable and efficient use, the specific objectives include, among other things, improvement of water resources assessment, strengthening of the role of women in water resources management, creating an integrated approach to land and water resources planning and management on a catchment basis, putting in place measures that enhance the availability of water resources of suitable quality and quantity, the production of accurate data on water use and demand for both surface water and groundwater, providing guidelines for private sector financing in the water sector as well as to improve opportunities for self-financing and amelioration of public sector financing, promotion of integration of sector and regional water policies, developing policies and mechanisms on disaster management, and development of pricing policies and mechanisms which recognise water as an economic good.
The Strategy outlines the institutional framework for water resources management and water supply. The main thrust of the reform is to separate water resources management and development from water services delivery, focussing the Ministry’s role on policy formulation, implementation and monitoring; leaving the detailed regulation to a number of parastatal bodies who report to boards that represent different stakeholders’ interests. The provision of water services, by water service providers, both from the private and NGO sectors, is to be market driven. The NWRMS provides a framework for the development of a Catchment Management Strategy (CMS) for each of the catchments. The CMSs will include procedures for water resources management. The strategy is to develop a water resources assessment and monitoring system, based on a catchment approach that includes appropriate data and information dissemination systems. A water resources classification system shall categorize water resources into various management classes, each representing different levels of protection and utilization. Targets, to be outlined as resource quality objectives (RQOs), will be set to guide the management of water resources. The Reserve Water (for basic human needs and ecosystem protection) has priority over all water uses and the requirements of the Reserve must be met before water can be allocated for other uses.
The Strategy furthermore addresses, among other things, legislative measures, pollution prevention approaches, control of invasive alien vegetation, water availability, reduction of unaccounted water, water demand management in the agriculture sector, commercialisation of the water utilities, prevention and management of floods and droughts, capacity development and administrative arrangements.