Impact of Covid-19 Crisis on Drinking Water Utilities in Nzoia River Basin, Kenya

Abstract:

This study was conducted on drinking water utilities in Nzoia River Basin to gauge the impacts of COVID-19; the challenges utilities are facing and the responses they are undertataking to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The results are a snapshot of the time we went to the survey between July and August, 2020. The most common utility challenges reported were: social distancing practices at utility offices or facilities; revenue generation; supply of personal protective equipment (PPE); supply of water treatment chemicals, sustaining water supply operations due to absenteeism of staff, the strain caused by COVID-19 on field operations and water treatment plant operations; and irregular supply of other materials for water supply operations besides water treatment chemicals. The survey revealed that utilities have taken a number of mesures to protect their operations and staff against the COVID-19 pandemic. These included: developing actions to manage risk and plan for contingencies (eg. restrictions on visitors/customers entering offices or other facilities); delaying anticipated capital construction, reducing anticipated maintenance and repair schedules and suspending capital construction that was in progress so as to avail money for emergency COVID-19 programmes; introducing spending adjustments in response to COVID-19 (eg. travel for training/conferences); assisting customers affected by the economic fallout (eg. suspending customer water shut-offs); taking on board a number of workforce and human resources efforts due to Covid-19 (eg. illness reporting); collaborating with other agencies to assist in COVID-19 response (eg. coordinating with local health department); preparation of COVID-19 pandemic plans; setting the primary factors to be considered before re-opening (eg. ability to supply masks, hand sanitizer, etc); taking steps to protect employees from possible COVID-19 infection (eg. enhanced disinfecting and sanitizing procedures of workspaces; reduce size of inperson meetings to maintain social distance, etc). The current COVID-19 crisis clearly demonstrates the dangers of unequal access to water services. Clean water and soap are essential to preventing most infections, COVID-19 included. Water utilities should assist customers affected by the COVID-19 economic fallout by suspending shut-offs so that everyone gets access to a minimum level of water supply. If water services get affected, it will mean spikes in coronavirus outbreaks, particularly in high-density communities where social distancing is not possible. Utilities should prioritize access to vulnerable communities and informal settlements. Given the importance of clean portable water supply, and the current pressure placed on our utilities by the COVID-19 crisis, the national and county governments in Nzoia River Basin should subsidise the utilities to keep water running. This paper provides useful insights for water sector policy makers in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.