Kakamega water firm allocates Sh20 million for smart metres to curb losses

Stakeholders follow proceedings during the Kakamega County water and sanitation company consultative meeting at Bishop Nicholas Stam pastoral center on July 13, 2024. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The Kakamega County Water and Sanitation Company (KACWASCO) board has approved a Sh20 million budget to purchase smart water metres to curb water loss and enhance supply.

The company's management said they have been losing 42 per cent of non-revenue water due to metre theft and illegal connections.

The water firm said that adopting co-polymer meters is the only solution to curb massive losses, especially amidst a deficit of 20,000 cubic meters of water supply per day.

During the Consumer Summit meeting in Kakamega town, KACWASCO Managing Director Michael Ogol discussed the issue of non-revenue water and the role smart metres will play in managing the same.

Ogol expressed satisfaction with the board's approval of the budget to buy DMS and bulk metres, noting that 500 new metres have already been purchased to replace the old ones.

He said that the current meters contain brass, which vandals sell to metal dealers while the Co-polymer smart meters are made of pure plastic and cannot be sold as scrap metal.

The KACWASCO boss noted that Milimani, Amalemba, and Shikambi estates within Kakamega town are notorious for metre theft and illegal connections, which contribute to the company's significant water loss.

The company, serving more than 500,000 people, can only supply 13,000 cubic metres of water per day, falling short of the 33,000 cubic metres of daily demand.

Ogol said that to bridge this gap they are rehabilitating the Kakamega old water treatment plant to provide an additional 6,000 cubic metres of water per day.

They are also working with various organisations to rehabilitate the Shitoli treatment works for an extra 3,000 cubic meters per day and expand the Tindinyo treatment plant to supply an additional 8,000 cubic meters per day.

KACWASCO is also solarising boreholes to increase water production.

The company has begun mapping out areas for the installation of plastic meters, aligning with Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa's 'Amatsi Khumuliango initiative,' which translates to water at the doorstep.

Ogol explained that ending metre theft will prevent illegal water connections, as the new meters will allow for tracking and monitoring of tampering attempts, thereby reducing revenue loss.

He noted that a standard smart metre costs Sh8,500, while the more expensive ones go for as much as Sh1 million, compared to the old meters priced between Sh3,500 and Sh5,000 each.

KACWASCO Board of Directors Chairman Boaz Bulimu assured that they are working closely with the county government and other partners to ensure the financial stability of the water firm and to guarantee uninterrupted water supply.

Bulimu emphasized their commitment to clear and good communication with customers and the importance of financial support to achieve the Amatsi Khumuliango initiative.