QUESTION ONE:ANSWERE.

i. Conflict in the water resources:The water resource sector faces a lot of differences
about the water use and this leads to a breakdown of water many projects depending on
the water. The most common conflict in Kenya which hinders development are conflict
between communities facing the water crisis. Since water is much important in human
life, communities tend to struggle for the scarce commodity leading to deaths hence
undevelopment. Conflict may arise also between countries over the shared water resource
hence leading to misunderstanding between them.
ii. Confusion in the ownership of permits:There is difference in terms and conditions
about the water resources in the older water act and the new water act, but those who
have older permit still have several years for it to expire hence they still have the
authority not to acquire the new permit which has new and better rules and regulations
governing the water resources. This actually has greatly hindered the progress of fully
implementing the new 2002 water act into action hence slowing down the water
dependant projects.
iii. Poor waste water and pollution control:In this case the NEMA established that waste
and effluents were being discharged into the river bodies of unrequired standards as per
the requirements of the WRMA. In addition, there is non-point source pollution from
poor land-husdanry ,sanitation liquids and solids waste-disposal practices. Example is
river Sosiani in Eldoret town which was found to be containing sewage, nutrients, toxic
metals, human waste, solid waste dumps, industrial and agricultural chemicals as the
main pollutants hence this make s it not to support the aquatic life. This to affects the
water usage by human being leading to low development within the region.
iv. Poor oversight of water rights:In the past each water rights was considered individually
rather than based on an overral allocation plan. This has created a situation where there is
very little information on abstraction on a catchment basis. Currently three types of
illegal abstraction behavior are observed;
Those that are authorized but have no permit and abstract in accordance with the
quantities specified in the authorization
Those that have authorization or a permit but abstract without regard to the limits allowed
Those with no application, authorization or permit
v. Limited Catchment Areas Advisory Committees (CAACs): Whereas the Water Act,
2002 establishes a very elaborate and clear management structures involving numerous
institutions for water supply , the oversight ov water catchment areas is left to the
catchment areas advisory committees (CAACs) which has no direct authority over the
WRMA regional managers who oversee the allocation and the use of water. This
actually leads to miscorditions between the management teams since the regional
WRMA are not allowed to take advice and views of the CAACs to help in
management.
vi. A slower rate of communities integration in service provision:The problem of
uneducated communities about water is mostly common in rural areas where people
have big problem towards the water use and managements. the integration of this people
actually needs a lot because the are slower towards the same hence bringing lots of
difficulties in the water sector.

QUESTION TWO:ANSWERE
i. Upgrading infrastructure in terms of data collections:The responsibilities of
WRMA is to conserve and apportion water resources hence for accurate and
updated data for use in issuance of abstractions permits and for purpose of
development planning, the dilapidated gauging stations , weirs, storage dams are
needed to be rehabilitated and new once be properly constructed.
ii. Establishment of water users Associations:By coming up with association it will
help to reduce conflict in the water resources and use hence giving more powers to
WRMA to act on the water use management to ensure that there is equitable
allocation of water resources and reduce conflict over the same and upgrading
developments.
iii. Control of deforestation for water resources:Forests are important in protecting
water catchment areas. When large areas of forest are logged, ecosystem services
such as water supply may be negatively affected. Kenya has one of the most diverse
forests in East Africa but these forests are threatened because they are heavily used as
a source of fuel or converted to agricultural land. Logging for fuel is one of the main
reasons forests are threatened. In this case laws should be properly innacted to control
 the catchment areas to ensure constant supply of water to avoid drought within the
country .
iv. The national water resources management strategy shall prescribe the principles,
objectives, use, development, control of water resources usage in appropriate
manner.
v. Water resources should be managed at the lowest appropriate level. Participation
by all stakeholders leads to better water management. Because of women’s
traditional roles in water resources management, they have knowledge which
should be included in planning and practice. The lowest level is most important to
ensure that decisions are supported by those who implement water projects on the
ground. These are often women. Female-headed households tend to have less
bargaining power in communities than male-headed households. A specific effort
to include them is needed.
vi. Better water rights management:This can be done by enacting and
implementing the River Basin Authorities to manage Kenya’s water resources.
These authorities can then provide much support to the WRMA towards water
use management. Updating abstraction data to indentify who is abstracting and
the amount abstracted as well as enforcing conditions of permits including
borehole master meters, storage, conservation measures in the catchment and
riparian environment and functionality the off-take structures will also assist right
management ,by the of providing information to the resources management
team hence minimizing the abuse and over-abstractions.
vii. Funding under developed parts of country interms of water resources:The Water
Services Trust Fund (WSTF) is mandated to help finance the provision of water in
areas without a adequate water supply. The WSTF is supposed to mobilize funds
from the government, Exchequer or donors. The fund helps collected is used for the
provision of water resources like boreholes in the marginalized and poor areas which
has water problem hence increasing the water access to all.
viii. Develop a financing system that supports WRM activities that are multi-
sectoral by nature. Multi-sectoral activities include hydro electric dams for
electricity, irrigation and conservation in catchment area. This should include
 licensing for raw water use and charging appropriate levies at the economic
values of water, conservation measures and reduction of pollution levels. New
rules, regulations and fees developed by WRMA need to be gazette and
operational zed.
ix. Enforce pollution control: The implementation of Environmental Management
and Coordination Act needs to be harmonized with Water Act 2002 in areas of
conflict. Actually, appointment of a manager to oversee a water pollution control
mechanism is critical.
QUESTION THREE: ANSWERE.
Water supply conflicts:. People (usually women) with similar interests fighting
over access to wells, jumping the queue to spend less time sometimes making use
of their ‘social position’ this can be reduced by dinging many water supply or to
provide the storage tanks.
iii. People leaving their tap in the house open (when supply is irregular) leaving
people living at higher elevations without water supply usually in urban centers .
This leads to conflict between the houses in that particular residence. solution
many be to have indirect water supply to make sure every one has his/her own
water control taps.
iv. Community members not paying their water fees to the water management
sector which leads to conflict between them leading poor water supply.
v. Community members not able to afford connection fees to the water supply
system that is usually constructed with considerable government and donor
subsidies. This leads great conflict because the community feels that the water
has passed over their lands hence they need a pay back this actually can be
avoided by making sure that the cost is subsidized for the benefit of the
community.
vi. Water sellers establishing monopolies to keep the price high to the consumers
leading to conflict between them especially to the poor people who can not
afford the expensive charges hence bringing difficulties in developments.
vii. Different user groups competing for (scarce) resources. This may be a conflict
over access to wells between communities and cattle owners, between different
tribal groups or between urban and rural areas. It may be visible but also remain
‘hidden’, for example when water tables are drawn down for irrigation, leaving
community wells dry.
viii. Water supply interests competing with other interests including water for
food, water for industry and water for nature. This may also include complex
transboundary conflicts between nations which may lead to war within the border.
ix. Short term interests (political or financial gains, meeting coverage targets etc.)
conflicting with long term interest of sustainability.
x. Conflict between management sectors who actual have a problem in duties to
handle between themselves. This is brought about by some management
misunderstanding where by no sector is aware of its actual responsibilities
within water management. This can be solved by having clear laws and
regulations about water resources management and clearly state who should
do water and how.
Sanitation and solid waste conflicts
• People practicing open field defecation or unsafe disposal of faeces maintaining
the risk of disease transmission for community members with a sanitation facility
• Unhygienic disposal of drainage and garbage causing problems for others and
particularly for down stream water users
• Informal waste collectors fighting over garbage, as waste is too valuable to
waste
• Location of waste water treatment plants, sanitary landfills or facilities

QUESTION 4 :ANSWERE
i.To adjust the water tariffs:The tariffs is about the sustainability of the systems
and performance of the providers of the services to the consumers .The WRSB
should be responsible by ensuring that consumers are cushioned from
inefficiencies by service providers. The guideline should be complete with
service standards and tariff setting guidelines.
ii.Usage of the natural water pumping techniques like gvavity:The
applications of this pumping by gravity will reduce the operational costs since no
use of the costy machines for the same hence the water use becomes cheaper for
the consumers.
iii. Update the National Water Master Plans:The current sector information
providers which was developed during the implementation of the policy and
water act 2002.the new implementation should take into account the review of
the 1998JICA after care study and the sector trends changing in demands ,water
use and availability hence more need for the immediate update of the water
master plan.
iv.Expansion and rationalization of the existing system:This can be
appropriately be done through merging together the small uneconomical systems
with others to enhance the economies of scale in operations .this can be followed
by installation of the appropriate technology options for efficient service
delivery.
v.To make the recommendation on strengthening of the legislation, organization
and institution of the project implementation and improvement of the
management ,operation and maintainace of the projects.
vi.To review developments plans of the water supply and sewerage proposed in
the National Water Master Plan according to the water act 2002 and establish a
new implementation program.
ASSINGNMENT:
i. Read through the Kenya Water Act and familiarise yourself with the same
ii. Having done so, critique the same in details, focusing your attention on
areas that you believe could impact negatively on the application of the
water act on the water resources of Kenya and also on the consumers,
particularly development activities in Kenya as a result of delays or non
availability of water for such development
iii. Further offer a critique positively identifying areas in the act that would
enhance development and protection of water resources in Kenya both in
the short, medium and long term
iv. Discuss and identify, in your own words possible areas of conflict and
how these can be improved upon
v. Finally, overall, identify and comment on any other areas that would
enrich the act in its application in Kenya
 MOI UNIVERSITY

(MAIN CAMPUS)

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL

COURSE CODE: CVS 445

COURSE NAME: WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

NAME: OGELLO RONALD OKABOSE

REG NO: CSE/15/09

DATE: 13/12/2012

PRESENTED TO: MR.MUKU

TASK CAT 2

SIGN