Coastal families pay more as water shortages persist

The Indian Ocean stretches along Kenya’s coastline, offering an apparent abundance of water, yet thousands of households in Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties struggle to obtain enough clean water for drinking, cooking and sanitation.

For families in Bangladesh informal settlement in Mombasa, the daily challenge is not finding water in the surrounding environment but securing an affordable supply that is safe for domestic use. Residents report frequent interruptions to piped supplies, forcing them to purchase water from private vendors at prices that strain household budgets.

A 20-litre jerrycan reportedly costs between Sh20 and Sh30 when water bowsers arrive. For households that need several containers daily, the expense quickly accumulates, turning a basic necessity into a recurring financial burden.

The situation exposes a striking contradiction along the coast: communities live beside one of the world’s largest bodies of water, yet reliable access to freshwater remains out of reach for many.

The problem also raises questions about infrastructure, water treatment, distribution and the management of available resources.

An ocean of saltwater, a shortage of freshwater

Seawater cannot be consumed safely without appropriate treatment to remove salt and other impurities. Desalination offers one possible solution, but establishing and operating large-scale plants requires substantial investment, energy and technical capacity.

Kenya previously explored a coastal desalination project, but the proposal was shelved amid concerns about its high operating costs. This illustrates why the ocean, despite its enormous volume, cannot simply replace the freshwater systems needed to serve coastal households.

According to the Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWWDA), water demand across its six-county jurisdiction is estimated at approximately 329,306 cubic metres daily, compared with production of about 180,000 cubic metres. The agency estimates that around 2.4 million people in its area have piped water services, out of a population of approximately 4.4 million.

The figures reveal a substantial gap between the region’s water requirements and available production. They also show why living near the ocean does not automatically translate into dependable household supplies.

The region relies on freshwater sources including Mzima Springs, Baricho well fields, Marere Springs and Tiwi boreholes. Water from these sources is treated and transported through bulk supply systems before reaching local service providers and consumers.

However, inadequate production, rising demand and constraints in transmission and distribution continue to affect the availability of water in different communities.

The cost of going without

In Bangladesh, residents say the shortage affects more than household spending. Limited water complicates cleaning, sanitation and personal hygiene, particularly for women and girls who need sufficient supplies to maintain menstrual hygiene.

Some households reportedly resort to using seawater for certain washing activities, highlighting the difficult choices people face when safer alternatives are unavailable. Seawater is not a substitute for freshwater in many domestic uses, and unsafe water practices can create additional hygiene concerns.

The burden extends beyond urban settlements. In Kahoweni village in Kilifi County’s Kaloleni Constituency, residents depend on Mtsara pond, originally dug to collect rainwater for livestock. Women walk considerable distances to collect water, while some families use donkeys to transport it.

Residents have questioned the suitability of the pond water for human consumption and called for improved supplies, including boreholes and restoration of the existing water source.

These experiences demonstrate that the crisis involves both the quantity of water available and the ability of communities to obtain supplies that meet acceptable safety standards.

Infrastructure and accountability

Kwale County’s water department has identified inadequate water sources and overstretched treatment, pumping and distribution infrastructure among the challenges affecting supply. Protecting catchments, developing additional sources and strengthening cooperation between county governments and CWWDA are among the measures proposed to improve availability.

The Coast Water Works Development Agency is mandated to develop and maintain sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure, while local water service providers manage distribution to consumers.

The distinction is important: producing more water at a central source will not resolve shortages unless treatment plants, transmission pipelines and local networks can deliver it reliably to homes.

The Constitution of Kenya, under Article 43, guarantees every person the right to clean and safe water in adequate quantities. Realising this right requires more than expanding production; it also demands effective planning, infrastructure maintenance, transparent management and fair distribution.

Mwache Dam offers a potential turning point

The Mwache Multipurpose Dam in Kwale County is among the major investments expected to strengthen water security along the coast. The project is designed to supply approximately 200,000 cubic metres of treated water daily, with Mombasa and Kwale among its intended beneficiaries, alongside provision for irrigation.

If completed and fully connected to the necessary treatment and distribution systems, the dam could increase available supplies and ease pressure on existing sources.

However, its impact will depend on the readiness of associated infrastructure, effective operations and the ability of water providers to distribute supplies to underserved communities. Additional production must also translate into reliable and affordable services for households that currently depend on vendors or distant sources.

The challenge facing coastal Kenya is therefore not simply a shortage of water in the surrounding environment. It is a shortage of accessible, treated and reliably distributed freshwater.

The ocean may dominate the coastline, but it cannot meet household needs without the infrastructure and investment required to make its water usable. Until dependable supplies reach communities across Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale, the contrast between the abundance of seawater and the scarcity of clean water will remain one of the region’s most pressing development challenges.