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Nakuru City, the fourth-largest city in Kenya, is served by the Nakuru Water and Sanitation Company (NAWASSCO). The utility provides water and sanitation services across 320 km², covering both municipal and peri-urban areas. Like many utilities, NAWASSCO faces high levels of non-revenue water (NRW), water produced but lost through either leaks, faulty infrastructure, or billing inefficiencies. 

To improve efficiency and enhance water security, NAWASSCO implemented a targeted NRW reduction project in the Eastern Zone, the area with the highest water losses. Measures included repairing 474 leaks, rehabilitating 10.2 kilometres of pipelines, and creating a district metered area (DMA) for improved monitoring and control. 

Quantifying the Impact 

Using the Water Footprint Network methodology, the project is anticipated to deliver: 

• 3.20 CAPs annually, or about 16 CAPs over five years, at a cost of €7,734.80 per CAP. 

By comparison, the ISO 14046 method yields: 

• 4.6 CAP equivalents annually, or 22.9 CAP equivalents over five years, at a cost of €5,416.40 per CAP equivalents. 

While the initial CAP yield appears modest, it provides a baseline for further efficiency gains. As physical water losses are reduced through better maintenance, optimised pressures, and behavioural change, results are expected to improve significantly until the threshold of Unavoidable Annual Real Losses (UARL) is reached. 

Social and Environmental Co-Benefits 

• Enhanced Water Reliability: Reduced leaks improve service continuity and water availability for Nakuru’s residents. 

• Financial Sustainability: The revolving fund concept reinvests efficiency savings into future NRW reduction, ensuring long-term impact. 

• Utility Performance: Establishing DMAs enhances detection and isolation of leaks, supporting more efficient operations. 

• Regional Benchmarking: Lessons from NAWASSCO’s efforts inform neighbouring utilities such as NAIVAWASCO and NARUWASCO, driving sector-wide improvements. 

Looking Ahead 

The NAWASSCO NRW reduction project highlights the importance of tackling hidden water losses as part of water stewardship and compensation efforts. While early results are modest, they mark the beginning of a transformative journey toward improved infrastructure, financial sustainability, and water security in Nakuru. 

Scaling up with additional DMAs and refined monitoring could accelerate impact, making NAWASSCO a leader in non-revenue water reduction in Kenya. 

With continued investment and knowledge-sharing, projects like this demonstrate how water footprint compensation can drive efficiency, resilience, and sustainable water use in rapidly growing cities.