Naivasha water utility turns to GIS to drive smarter water management
Naivasha Water and Sanitation Company (NAIVAWASCO) is enhancing its use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to improve water infrastructure management, reduce non-revenue water and support data-driven decision-making.
The water utility recently participated in a GIS workshop facilitated by VEI Kenya, bringing together representatives from four water utilities to share knowledge and practical experiences on the application of GIS in the management of water and sanitation services.
NAIVAWASCO was represented by its GIS Officer, Francisco Kigia, who joined other sector professionals at the workshop focused on strengthening the capacity of water utilities to use digital mapping and data management technologies.
The workshop examined several areas of GIS application, including the use of spatial data to support Non-Revenue Water (NRW) reduction, management and monitoring of utility assets, development and maintenance of digital GIS databases, and the use of ArcGIS Enterprise.
Participants also explored ways of integrating GIS systems across different departments within water utilities to improve coordination, access to information and operational efficiency.
The workshop provided an opportunity for participants to learn from international experiences, with Waterbedrijf Groningen sharing practical lessons on the use of GIS to support infrastructure management, operational planning and informed decision-making.
For NAIVAWASCO, strengthening GIS expertise is expected to enhance the utility’s ability to map and monitor its water infrastructure, improve visibility of its assets and support efforts to address water losses.
The company says continued investment in GIS capacity will also contribute to more efficient and evidence-based planning and service delivery.
The knowledge-sharing initiative brought together VEI Kenya, GIS Short-Term Expert Fokko Burgler, Myrko Webers, Waterbedrijf Groningen and representatives from participating water utilities.
The collaboration highlights the growing role of digital technologies in transforming water utility management, with GIS providing utilities with tools to better understand their infrastructure, respond to operational challenges and plan for more resilient and efficient water services.
NAIVAWASCO’s participation in the initiative is part of efforts to build stronger technical capacity and promote the adoption of data-driven approaches within the water sector.
