Athi Water To Rebrand As Nairobi Set For Safer Water Access

Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) is set to rebrand to a new logo and launch a new strategic plan that could see three counties receive more access to safe water.

The parastatal, which serves Nairobi, Murangá and Kiambu counties, also wants to nearly double the access to improved sanitation for people within its jurisdiction over the next five years.

In a statement, the Athi Water Works Development Agency said that it will launch its new strategic plan and rebranded logo on August 16.

“The August launch will bring together stakeholders, key agencies and sector specialists working in the Ministry of Water and Sanitation on a deliberative engagement on the best practices for water and sanitation management,” Athi Water Works Development Agency said.

At the ceremony, which will also see the parastatal launch a new website and mobile app, the Athi Water Works Development Agency will set targets on increased access to safe water and improved sanitation.

By 2024, Athi Water Works Development Agency will want the percentage of the population within the area it covers to increase to 80%, from the current estimate of 72.1%.

AWWDA will also bid to have improved sanitation reach 70% of the people within the three counties, rising from the current estimated 47%.

The parastatal will also want to initiate resource mobilization strategies that will seek to generate Ksh234.7 billion for financing water and sanitation infrastructure development within the next five years.

Expected to grace the event which will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi are Ministry of Water Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui, Principal Secretary Joseph Irungu, Chief Administrative Secretary Winnie Guchu as well as Wilfred Marube of the Public Relations Society of Kenya.

The Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) is one of the eight Water Works Development Agencies (WWDA) established under the Ministry of Water and Sanitation. Others include the Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency, Northern Water Works Development Agency, and Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency.

The Water Works Agencies are operationalized by Kenya’s constitution which safeguards that every person has the right to reasonable standards of sanitation and to clean and safe water in adequate quantities.

Prior to the 2010 constitution, they were known as Water Services Boards. The 2016 Water Act, which came in to supplement the new constitution specified that development and management of national public works is to be undertaken by WWDAs. At the same time, each county was granted its own water works development agency.