WASP CEO Josphat Njaramba during the water stakeholders meeting.
Water service providers across the country have intensified preparations to cushion communities and critical water infrastructure from the anticipated impacts of strong El Niño rains, with authorities warning that extreme weather events could worsen flooding, damage water systems and increase the risk of waterborne diseases.
The Water Services Providers Association (WASPA) has called on utilities and relevant agencies to activate early warning systems, strengthen disaster preparedness plans and undertake urgent infrastructure assessments ahead of the expected heavy rains.
The measures include clearing blocked waterways, mapping flood-prone areas, reinforcing water infrastructure, protecting treatment facilities and ensuring communities receive timely safety alerts to reduce the impact of potential disasters.
Speaking during a meeting of water sector stakeholders, Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu and water company officials said changing climate patterns had forced the country to rethink how it manages water resources, noting that prolonged droughts, flooding, catchment degradation and rising demand were putting pressure on existing systems.
They said climate resilience could no longer be treated as an optional intervention but as a critical investment to secure the country’s water future.
“Climate change continues to redefine our operating environment. Prolonged droughts, floods, catchment degradation and increasing demand for water require us to think beyond conventional infrastructure,” stakeholders noted.
Stakeholders emphasised the need to protect water towers, restore degraded catchment areas, conserve riparian ecosystems and invest in climate-resilient infrastructure to safeguard water access during periods of extreme weather.