National Water Services Strategy (2005 – 2007).

This National Water Services Strategy is based on sections 49 and 50 of the Water Act, 2002. It is prepared in response to the water supply crises affecting South Africa. Key challenges that must be addressed through strategy implementation include lack of effective and autonomous water institutions, poor management including poor financial skills, poor operation and maintenance of facilities, inadequate funding for rehabilitation, and upgrading and expansion of water supply and sewage facilities. According to the Act, the Strategy must have following objectives: institute arrangements to ensure that at all times there is in every area of Kenya a person capable of providing water supply; design a programme to bring about the progressive extension of sewerage to every centre of population in Kenya. It must give an oversight of the current situation and contain plans for the extension of water services to underserved areas, the timeframe for the plan, and an investment programme. The National Water Services Strategy must also provide for national monitoring and information systems on water services.
Principles, vision and mission underlying the Strategy are defined. The overall principles adopted in the formulation of this First National Water Services Strategy are: 1. Separation of policy and regulatory functions from service provision 2. Decentralizing of responsibilities and decision making applying the principle of subsidiarity for water services in accordance with the Water Act 2002 3. Water is a social and economic good 4. Establishment of the cost-recovery principle taking into account a pro-poor pricing policy that meets equity, economic and financial and environmental concerns 5. Acceptable standards of levels of service delivery 6. Private sector participation 7. Linkage between water supply and sewerage management and development. 8. Linkage between water services and the economy 9. Environmentally friendly operations of water services. The overall goal of the National Water Services Strategy is to meet the water related MDGs by 2015. Specific objectives of the Strategy are related to increase the urban water supply, increase the rural water supply, reduction of unaccounted water, increase the urban and rural water borne sewage collection, treatment and disposal coverage. Activities to reach these objectives are outlined.
For the implementation of the National Water Services Strategy, the government shall undertake specific implementation activities within the framework of water sector reform. One of these activities aims at the participation and representation of women. The government shall also engage other stakeholders (non-governmental organizations and communities) and the private sector. Finally, the Strategy gives due attention to monitoring of implementation, financial mechanisms and investment. Measures aim at financial autonomy of water and sewage boards, the restructuring of water tariffs. Implementation will also include developing and instituting guidelines for PSP/PPP entry to the sector.