African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) seeks a Research Assistant – WASH Scoping Study in Kenya

Introduction

The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) is a leading Intergovernmental STI policy Think Tank which was established in 1988. ACTS is based in Nairobi through a host agreement with the Kenya Government and enjoys international status. ACTS’ governing council depicts its international status. It has representation from Ghana (current chair), Ethiopia, Malawi, Cote d’Ivoire, UK, Sweden, COMESA, NEPAD and the East African Science and Technology Commission.

Background

It is clear that Kenyan water infrastructure and established operational procedures in tackling Non Revenue Water (NRW) is just awakening and more efforts still required. Many water utilities are still struggling to ensure that customers receive a reasonable supply of water to sustain health and life. Water utility managers are invariably facing challenges such as:

1. Rapid urbanization
2. Diminishing water supply
3. Environmental pollution
4. Outdated infrastructure
5. A high level of poor O&M policies including ineffective record-keeping systems
6. Inadequate technical skills and technology
7. Greater financial constraints, such as unsuitable tariff structure and/or revenue collection policy
8. Political, cultural, and social influences
9. A higher incidence of commercial losses, particularly illegal connections

These factors all influence the scope for managing losses and demand, and affect the pace of change. At the same time, continuous NRW limits the financial resources available to tackle these challenges facing water utilities in Kenya and beyond.

NRW significantly reduces the amount of water available for allocation. It also impacts on the financial viability of water utilities through lost revenue and increased operational costs. NRW also reduces a utility’s capacity to fund service expansion, especially to the poor, which is clearly unacceptable. The NRW problem is likely to be compounded in the future by diminishing water resources, increasing costs of producing water, high rates of infrastructure deterioration, inadequate investment budgets, and increasing pressures from urbanization, climate change, and population growth. Water utilities are under increasing scrutiny from citizens, government, and donors to use water resources more efficiently by reducing water losses in their distribution systems and ensuring sustainable service delivery.

Reducing water losses not only conserves a scarce natural resource but also improves the utility’s financial viability (through increased revenue and reduced repair and energy costs), defers capital expenditure for new water sources and system expansion to keep pace with increasing demand, saves energy, and reduces carbon emissions, thus mitigating climate change impacts and fostering sustainability.

Although significant capital investment may be required for rehabilitation of the old pipeline network infrastructure, performance weaknesses will not be resolved through flagship capital projects alone. And therefore greater attention should be given to maintenance and revenue management systems, and to improving internal institutional and operational aspects – accountability, and the technical and managerial skills necessary to provide a reliable services.

Objectives of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to improve the capacity of water utilities by introducing management and technical tools and systems to enable water utilities to reduce NRW losses. The main objective of this assignment is to develop capacity and help a water utility reduce NRW losses through the following steps:

1. Conduct a water assessment audit in the utility in order to quantify and understand how much water is lost, where and why and recommend realistic actions to reduce NRW losses.
2. Support the utility in developing a performance improvement plan (PIP), if necessary
3. Monitor and evaluate progress on implementation of the PIP.

Informed by the above objectives, consultant is expected to document and come up with a report focusing on the following:

1. Water Services Sector in Kenya
2. NRW Management in Kenya
3. NRW Losses
4. Effects of NRW in Kenya
5. Challenges of NRW Management in Kenya
6. Current Steps Taken to Stem NRW
7. Opportunities for Non-Revenue Water Management in Kenya
8. Conclusion and Recommendations

Approach/ Methodology

The diagnostic phase is the first step of the water assessment audit process that assesses the existing situation and whether there is a problem with a utility’s water supply system. This phase poses some basic questions on NRW:

1. How much water is being lost?
2. How much revenue is being lost through the water losses?
3. Where is the water being lost from?
4. Why is water being lost?
5. What non-digital measures can be used to reduce the NRW?
6. What digital measures are being angled to reduce the NRW?
7. The successes and challenges in deployment of digital solutions to NRW?
8. Would utility companies be willing to invest in digital solutions to NRW?
9. Financial, ICT pro-poor driven innovations and available technologies?

Answers to these questions will be provided by conducting a “top-down” water audit approach, which is largely a desk top exercise/ review of gathering and analyzing data and information from the mapped utility records on water use and loss (water balance), water supply system and utility management (policies, procedures, information systems, etc.).

From this platform of knowledge, intervention measures or action plans will be developed and implemented for reducing water losses:

1. Proposing key action recommendations for NRW reduction
2. Supporting the utility in developing a NRW reduction plan, and by monitoring and evaluating its progress with implementation of action plans

The benefits from reducing NRW are substantial:

1. Water utilities would gain access to a further revenue streams in self-generated cash flow
2. Reducing illegal connections would result in greater fairness between users
3. Utilities would become more efficient and sustainable, improving service to their customers service
4. New business opportunities would create more jobs

Scope of the Assignment

The scope of the assignment will be limited to supporting the above key specific objectives and other activities related to achieving the objectives in the following ten counties (tentative): Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kakamenga, Machakos, Homa Bay, Eldoret, and Isiolo.

Duration

The assignment is expected to last for not more than six – eight weeks.

Desired Technical Background and Experience

1. Education: At least a Master’s degree in the fields of Civil Engineering (Preferably Water Resources Option), Hydrology, Environmental, Biosystems, Development studies, Technology, or appropriately similar qualifications with significant experience in Water Resources Management and/or Climate-Resilience.
2. Experience in technical writing
3. Excellent knowledge on WASH in Kenya and beyond.
4. Excellent analytical and drafting skills are required with proven experience in report writing in English.

Core Competencies:

1. Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
2. Works Collaboratively with others
3. Builds and Maintains Partnerships
4. Innovates and Embraces Change
5. Thinks and Acts Strategically
6. Drives to achieve impactful results
7. Manages ambiguity and complexity