Water and industry bodies seek stronger collaboration
The Water and Sanitation Providers Association (WASPA) and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) are exploring ways to deepen cooperation between Kenya’s water service sector and the manufacturing industry.
The discussions seek to address challenges affecting manufacturers’ access to reliable water services while creating stronger working relationships between Water Service Providers (WSPs) and industries across the country.
WASPA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Njaramba held an engagement with KAM Chief Executive Officer Tobias Alando as the two organisations explored areas where joint action could improve water service delivery and support industrial operations.
A key focus of the engagement was the need to strengthen communication and collaboration between WSPs and manufacturers. The two organisations noted that closer engagement could help identify challenges faced by industries and develop practical solutions to improve water availability, reliability and distribution.
The partnership discussions also focused on energy efficiency within the water sector. The organisations explored opportunities for conducting energy audits to support WSPs in meeting the four-year energy audit requirement provided for under the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA).
Energy costs remain an important consideration for water service providers because of the significant power requirements involved in water abstraction, treatment, pumping and distribution. Strengthening energy management through regular audits could therefore help WSPs identify areas for efficiency improvements while supporting compliance with environmental requirements.
Improving water metering and distribution was another major area highlighted during the engagement. Effective metering is important for monitoring water consumption, improving billing accuracy and supporting efficient management of water resources. For manufacturers, reliable metering and distribution systems can also help industries better plan their operations and manage water use.
The discussions are expected to provide a platform for both organisations to work together in addressing some of the challenges affecting the relationship between water providers and industrial consumers.
WASPA and KAM agreed to maintain discussions as they explore practical areas of cooperation that can benefit both the water and manufacturing sectors. The organisations are also considering the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would formalise the partnership and provide a framework for implementing agreed areas of collaboration.
The proposed cooperation is expected to strengthen sector-to-sector engagement and encourage joint efforts in areas such as water service delivery, energy efficiency, metering and compliance.
The collaboration comes as Kenya continues to seek stronger partnerships between public utilities and the private sector to improve essential services and support economic activity. For manufacturers, dependable water services remain an important component of efficient and sustainable production, while WSPs stand to benefit from closer engagement with major industrial consumers.
Through continued dialogue and a potential formal partnership, WASPA and KAM aim to create a more coordinated approach to addressing water-related challenges affecting manufacturers while supporting improvements in the performance and sustainability of water service providers.
