Regulator unveils water resource allocation protocols

The Water Resources Authority (WRA) has launched countrywide public engagement on its Draft Water Allocation Guidelines and Thresholds, aimed at boosting service delivery in the critical sector.

WRA chief executive officer Mohamed Shurie, who led the engagement forum at Machakos University on Friday, pointed out that the draft guidelines, once adopted, will introduce clarity, predictability and fairness in the allocation of water resources across competing uses.

“Water is a shared resource that must be managed equitably, sustainably and transparently. The proposed framework will set clear criteria and thresholds for allocation decisions and strengthen accountability in water use permitting,” Mr Shurie said.

Among the key proposals in the revised guidelines are prioritising water for basic human needs and ecological sustainability, data-driven allocation based on scientific data, aquifer studies, and water balance assessments, particularly in water-scarce areas.

Also contained in the guidelines is the requirement for large-scale commercial users to build storage facilities to capture water during rainy seasons for utilisation during dry seasons, among others.

According to WRA, the draft guidelines will safeguard environmental flows and ecological sustainability while promoting equitable access to water for domestic, agricultural, industrial and other uses.

Mr Shurie said the public participation process was being conducted in line with constitutional principles and statutory requirements that mandate stakeholder consultation in the development of regulatory instruments.

“Upon conclusion of the engagement process, the authority will review submissions and incorporate feedback before publishing the final Water Allocation Guidelines and Thresholds,” the CEO said.

The regulator also announced the launch of a customer mobile app as part of its broader strategy to leverage technology in managing water resources.

Mr Shurie said the app complements ongoing reforms, including the use of telemetry water monitoring stations that transmit real-time data on rivers, groundwater and climatic conditions, and the rollout of an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system to receive, store and analyse water abstraction data from smart meters installed at boreholes, intakes and effluent discharge points.

The forum was also graced by WRA chairman Mr Donald Murgor alongside the organisation’s director, Mr Hassan Baricha.