The taps in Mirera used to be dry. At best, residents like George Njung’e Kaguai would pay 20 shillings per jerrican to donkey vendors. At worst, they would go without water altogether.
“We just got used to managing without. The water we did get tasted strange, and my children’s teeth started turning brown,” said Kaguai, who lives in a one-room house with his wife, a flower farm worker, and their children.
Naivasha, a town of over 350,000 in Kenya’s Nakuru County, is caught in the crosshairs of urban growth and inadequate infrastructure. Known for its flower farms and scenic lake, the town attracts thousands of workers, yet its basic services have long failed to keep up. Only 60% of Naivasha’s residents have access to piped water. Sewer coverage lags at just 16%.
But over the last six years, a quiet revolution has been taking place.
From fragile to functioning
With funding from The One Foundation and technical leadership from WSUP, Naivasha’s utility — NAIVAWASCO — has evolved from a struggling small outfit into a model of transformation. Between 2018 and 2022, NAIVAWASCO doubled in size and capacity, winning national awards for its performance.
Through WSUP’s support, over 100,000 people now have better access to clean water and safe sanitation. Among them is Benjamin Mworia, a tenant in Mirera whose life changed when his plot was connected to a new water line.
“We were looking for a place that had water when we moved. Now it is just there when we need it. My wife does not have to carry jerricans or skip cooking because we are out,” Mworia said.
Behind these improvements is a deliberate strategy: build infrastructure, strengthen the utility, and change behaviours.
Rewriting the urban rulebook
WSUP’s work has not stopped at pipes and meters. WSUP has helped NAIVAWASCO adopt a pro-poor policy, a strategic business plan, and a sanitation roadmap. In schools, WSUP has supported the construction of rainwater systems and gender-sensitive toilets, helping thousands of children — especially girls — stay in class.
“It is not just hardware. It is about empowering communities and institutions to lead,” said Harry Njung’e, WSUP Project Manager for Nakuru and Naivasha.
One such institution is the County Government of Nakuru, which — through support from WSUP — has passed landmark public health and sanitation laws. These provide a framework for long-term planning, bringing together regulators, utilities, and civil society.
A plot transformed
In Kabati, Margaret Wanjiru Gathirwa manages a small plot built in 2005. Until recently, her tenants relied on ageing pit latrines that overflowed during the rains.
But in 2024, her compound was connected to a newly built, simplified sewer system.
“The smell is gone. People are cleaner. It feels safer,” she said.
Gathirwa is not just managing the property; she is managing change.
“Now I am telling my tenants to keep it clean, to respect the new toilets. They are proud of it, too,” Gathirwa adds.
Still more to do
Despite these gains, the needs in Naivasha remain vast. Hundreds of households still rely on unsafe water. Entire neighbourhoods remain off-grid for sanitation.
Opportunities lie in scaling up simplified sewer networks, expanding last-mile water infrastructure, and training small-scale service providers. Investing in these solutions can unlock enormous health and economic benefits, especially for women and children.
The work has begun. But to continue, it needs partners.
“If you’ve ever wondered whether your support can truly change lives, just look at Naivasha,” says Njung’e.