Many community water projects in Kenya operate under CBOs or Self-Help Groups, structures that work for community organising but fall short of what the regulatory framework actually requires for formal water service delivery.
WASREB KENYA’s guidelines are clear on this: for a county government to delegate water service responsibilities to a community institution, that institution needs to be registered as a Water User Association. A WUA is not just a title, it is the legal standing that allows communities to partner with licensed Water Service Providers, access funding, and put accountability structures in place that outlast any single committee member.
The experience of the Kiboko Twa Andu Water Project demonstrates this principle in practice. Although the project is not yet a registered Water User Association, it has already established the governance structures expected under the guidelines and has initiated the process of registering as a WUA.
The results have been tangible. Confidence in the project’s governance attracted direct investment from the Government Of Makueni County, which supported the solarisation of the water system, improving both its sustainability and operational efficiency. The committee will soon be positioning itself to take on a more significant role in community water service delivery going forward.
