Exploring Governance Strategies for Tackling Illegal Water Connections: A Case Study of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company in Kenya

Abstract

The study investigates how the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) handles illegal water connections in Nairobi City County (NCC), whose high number caused much of the water company‘s revenue to be lost and led to water shortages. Both methods were applied in the research: using statistics and interviewing stakeholders. The study included a total of 1,250 people among the participants, all from different stakeholder groups such as NCWSC officials, water consumers, environmental organizations, local authorities, water vendors, community leaders and makers of water policies. Applying Cochran‘s formula, we chose 295 participants and divided them according to their stakeholder group. In this section, careful stratification was used to make sure each subgroup represented in the study was well represented. For the qualitative study, 10–15 main informants who had worked with water governance or illegal water connections were processed using purposive sampling. The study achieved validity by testing both its content and construct aspects. Experts looked over the content to confirm its meaning and the statistical programs AMOS and MPLUS were used to assess construct validity. Conducted using the Regulatory Compliance Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the study exposed the fact that the NCWSC‘s decentralization provided responsiveness, but its administrative difficulties and role repeated between teams upset operational efficiency. Even with regulations in place, uneven application and little help from the courts made the rules weak as deterrents. Participatory initiatives were conducted, but youth and informal users did not participate enough. The research showed that shortages of resources, risks of corruption, along with logistical difficulties all posed additional difficulties whereby NCWSC faces substantial water losses of 40% annually, affecting finances and service delivery. NCWSC produces 540 million litres per day against a demand of 900 million litres, leaving a shortfall of 360 million litres. Out of the water supplied, 300 million litres were being lost daily through leaks. These losses translate into Kes. 10.6 billion annually, for effective governance which is why updating the water laws, reinforcing the institutions and improving collaboration were necessary to deal with illegal water use. It was also suggested to use smart meters and locations maps to make monitoring and enforcement more effective. The findings also suggest that future research should be done for a longer period in many African cities to find better solutions and examine broader impacts from information technology on illegal water connections