The capacity development program in Naivasha aims to improve the provision of water and sanitation services to all residents of Naivasha municipality (165,000 women, men and children) with a particular focus on sustainability of services, customer satisfaction and improved access for the (peri-) urban poor. So, the coming in for VEI with the proposal of establishing WOP type of partnership with Naivasha came in an appropriate time. In Naivasha, water service is provided by Naivasha Water & Sanitation Company (NAIVAWASS). The idea of the creation of the partnership project between VEI & NAIVAWASS came from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) in Nairobi, Kenya, which was already working and funding the "One Naivasha for All Programme", the program of Wildlife Fund East Africa. Thus, this WOP is proposed as one of the management improvement plans of above mentioned program.
OBJECTIVES
Main objective: Improvement of operational efficiency and revenue collection
The partnership project comprises of five components and each component consists of outputs and its related activities. The components are:
- Component 1: Increased access to sustainable and affordable water supply services by NAIVAWASS in Naivasha town
- Component 2: Sustained collection, treatment and safe discharge of sewage from respective areas in Naivasha town
- Component 3: Increased access to sustainable and affordable water supply and sanitation services in 10 (peri-) urban low income areas of Naivasha Municipality
- Component 4: Improved water sector governance and scaling-up of best practices in Naivasha and the larger Nakuru County
- Component 5: Project executed within planning and budget
Output 1.1.: Improved dialogue between consumers and NAIVAWASS:
Customers were given a survey form to fill and express their views.
Output 1.2.: Development and implementation of a water production improvement plan:
A production monitoring system for the daily production volumes and supply hours was established. Two boreholes in DTI and in Karati have been refurbished and at the same time a maintenance program to safeguard the investments done in the past has been started.
Output 1.3 Regulated illegal/dormant and establishment of new connection:
The implementation of the activities of this output started in April, 2013 for in-field verification of all potential and illegal customers. Again SNV worked with VEI and NAIVAWASS to conduct a baseline assessment/scanning and updating the network, client & meter database.16 According to VEI this led to increase the number of active connection and to increase income.
Output 1.4 Improving billing, revenue collection and dis/re-connection procedure:
According to VEI, the new billing system procured by RVWSB and NAIVAWASS by April 2012 was put into operation. Through in-job training four staff from NAIVAWASS were trained on using of the software. All existing data entries have been transferred and the outcome confirms the limited number of active connections.
Output 1.5 NRW 'caretaker' approach piloted and scaled-up to all 5 supply zones:
Preparing GIS- based water distribution and sewer network map is in progress.
Output 1.6 Business plan and tariff review:
Debt recovery and reduction plan developed. Implementation is still on-going. Moreover according to NAIVAWASS a transparent budget model and budget-monitoring model also has been established.
Output 1.7 Established water quality compliance procedures:
The implementation of this output has started with the activity of developing a water quality improvement and monitoring plan. The in job training has been provided to NAIVAWASS staff, the training about water quality, elaboration and monitoring of water quality and procedure is still take place to the staff of the company.
Output 2.1 Sewer connection program:
In the implementation of this output, the partners started by assessing water and sewer revenues and O&M costs and cost recovery level in year one.
Output 2.2 Wastewater treatment improvement plan in action:
As far as the implementation of this output, under the leading of VEI, the implementation started by rehabilitations and repairs of some of the area of the network like the screw pumps, the aerators, and sludge pumps. VEI experts together with NAIVAWASS staffs managed to repairs a large area of the network which was not working for a long time like aerators pump and screw pumps. And for the side of training, on job training to two sewer operators from NAIVAWASS staffs on the sewer treatment and implementing system improvement continue basing on regular visit of VEI specialist.
Output 3.1: Boost access to safe drinking water in 3 (peri-) urban Low Income Areas by replicating the successful Karagita model
Three water treatment, storage and distribution network has been established in Kiu, Mirera na kwa Muhia which targeting to provide un fluoride water to the people in that area. For the activity of scale-up De-fluoridation model, the workshop took place in 19th - 20th, July 2013 which included a visit to expose RVWSB to WSUP/CDN's defluoridation model & and advocate for RVWSB to take on responsibility for safe fluoride levels in the Rift valley.
Output 3.2 Boost access to improved sanitation in 3 (peri-) urban Low Income Areas:
Around 186 improved pit latrines (out of 90) were built, or rehabilitated. And the design of sludge holding facilities is in progress.25 In addition to this, a site visit for District Public Health staff and other stakeholders to gender sensitive latrine design has also conducted, and they have seen and learnt how the latrines are. Moreover, NAIVAWASS with support from WSUP they have developed sanitation marketing prototypes which demonstrate different options of latrine components like slabs, walls and doors.
Output 3.3 improve hygiene awareness of residents in the 3 targeted LIAs:
Several trainings to reach the target of this output have been conducted, like four training workshops on hygiene and fluoride awareness to teachers, CHWs and PHO have been conducted by WSUP. Hygiene promotion campaigns also took place in 30 schools using Unilever School of 5 methodologies and last one completed on June, 2013 of fluoride awareness in 15 schools and at the same time 2000 door to door campaigns on hygiene, monitoring, impact assessment and data collection for 15 CHWs completed at the end of June, 2013.
Output 3.4 strengthen the capacity of local service providers to sustain pro-poor water & sanitation services:
These activities are scheduled for the second year of the project.
Output 3.5 upscale activities 3.1-4.4 to the other 7 (peri-) urban Low Income Areas:
Kaserani area has been chosen as pilot area for this activity of incorporate emerging lessons from the pro-poor water and sanitation projects and to expand coverage to the remaining un (der) served pockets in the 10 LIAs.
Output 4.1 NAIVAWASS (Corporate Governance) guidelines internalized and implemented:
The pocess of coaching of NAIVAWASS in Corporate Governance and SPA implementation as well as capacity building is in progress.
Output 4.2 Consultations with IMARISHA Programme stakeholders:
Only the briefing of stakeholders on the emerging findings of the completed 'Quick Scan Sewage Collection and Waste Water Treatment Naivasha has already finished.