Half a million Kenyans to benefit from Lake Victoria water scheme

Home » News » Half a million Kenyans to benefit from Lake Victoria water scheme

An estimated 500,000 people living in Kenya’s third largest city, Kisumu, will benefit from a US$ 8.7bn of water and sanitation investment programme to be implemented over the next 5 years and financed by the European Investment Bank, the European Union and French Development Agency (AFD).

The new scheme will both upgrade existing water supply, and significantly expand water and wastewater connections for thousands of people currently lacking access to safe drinking water supply and unserved by a public sewerage network. At present only 16% of people living Kisumu have access to the existing public sewerage system

Also Read: Grand Lake Victoria Water Project Ushered in

Financial support was confirmed by European partners and the Government of Kenya earlier today in Nairobi at a ceremony attended by Henry Rotich, Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury  and Planning and Simon Chelugui, Cabinet Secretary for Water and Sanitation, the Ambassador of France, government officials and representatives of the European Investment Bank, French Development Agency and the European Union.

European Investment Bank, French Development Agency and EU confirm support

The transformational scheme to upgrade water and sanitation in Kisumu and neighbouring communities in the Lake Victoria catchment area will be financed by the European Investment Bank, French Development Agency and Government of Kenya, as well as by EUR 5m of grant funding from the European Union – Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund.

The European Investment Bank, the world’s largest international public bank and largest lender for water investment worldwide, will provide EUR 35 million for the Kisumu scheme. The EIB’s support for the project was outlined by Catherine Collin, head of the European Investment Bank’s regional representation in East Africa.

“New investment to transform supply of clean water and wastewater collection in Kisumu will transform key infrastructure in Kenya’s third city and cater for expected increased demand for water in the years ahead. The European Investment Bank together with our Kenyan and European partners recognize the crucial contribution of this impressive project to improving access to clean water and sanitation by vulnerable communities and ensuring that Kenya can achieve sustainable development goals. Once complete the improved water network will reduce pollution in Lake Victoria and benefit Kenyans, Ugandans and Tanzanians living around Africa’s second largest lake.” said Catherine Collin, European Investment Bank regional representative in East Africa.

The French Development Agency will provide US$ 2.5bn for the initiative. Jean-Pierre Marcelli responsible for the French Development Agency in sub-Saharan Africa and H.E. Antoine Sivan, Ambassador of France to Kenya were also present at the announcement.

Lake Victoria communities to get first ever clean water supply and public sewerage

Kisumu is dependent on Lake Victoria for water supply and the new investment programme will cater for the expected increase in water demand and population increase from 500,000 to today to 800,000 at the end of the next decade.

The scheme will increase access to safe water supply to an estimated 95% of people living in the greater Kisumu area, from 67% at present and expand wastewater services to the western part of Kisumu currently lacking a public sewerage network.

Investing for future water needs and drought

Kenya is classified as water stressed and in recent years has faced a number of severe droughts. The improved water infrastructure covered by the new Kisumu scheme been designed to cater for a changing climate.