IFC Assessing Commercial Water Solutions In Kenya

In collaboration with IFC, Safe Water Network is conducting an extensive market assessment of the potential for scalable, decentralized water solutions and collaborating with key thought leaders and stakeholders in Kenya. The assessment includes a desktop review of research studies and market data, a series of interviews with approximately 25 thought leaders and stakeholders in Kenya, and the development of case studies based on an analysis of current projects in Kenya. 

In September, Safe Water Network and the IFC convened an Expert Advisory Group meeting in Nairobi, where representatives from organizations including the World Bank, Water and Sanitation Program, Water Services Trust Fund Kenya, and the Netherlands Development Organization reviewed preliminary findings. 

Following the Expert Advisory Group meeting, the next steps include establishing a business case that demonstrates the opportunities and requirements for developing decentralized solutions for the provision of safe water for underserved populations at scale. Leaders from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors are being convened to workshop the results and to disseminate a final report with the objective of identifying specific scale pilots for implementation. 

Safe Water Network’s assessment with IFC draws on an extensive knowledge base from current field initiatives in Kenya, Ghana and India, including addressing key sustainability challenges and barriers to success in financing, regulatory structure, pricing, and equitable access.