Kenya: World Bank grants US$4.3 million to extend water and sanitation services to 80,000 residents in Nairobi’s informal settlements

This project follows up on the Maji ni Maisha project that provides access to water for community groups.  A key difference is the important addition of sewerage services and sanitation facilities to informal settlements in the Nairobi area. The US$4.3 million grant agreement will help extend access to clean and safe water, and sewerage services to about 80,000 low-income residents (about 16,000 households) among previously unserved areas. The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) will implement the project, in collaboration with the Athi Water Services Board through a social connections program that champions the right of access to affordable water and sanitation services. The World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program is providing technical support to the project, to be implemented over the next three-and-a-half years through June 30, 2017. Through this social connections program, the grant will subsidize up to 70 percent of sewerage connections, and up to 40 percent of connection for water supply. The remaining connection costs will be funded by household deposits and a five-year loan from NCWSC to eligible households. NCWSC will pre-finance all capital costs estimated at US$7,200,000.