Abstract
Water planning and acquisition in small but rapidly growing urban centres remains a critical challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, where infrastructural gaps and institutional limitations constrain access to clean, reliable, and affordable water. This study examined water acquisition strategies in Awasi Urban Centre, Kisumu County, Kenya. The objectives were: (i) to examine how households, businesses, and institutions access water and the factors influencing reliability and perceived quality; (ii) to assess the extent to which available water sources meet domestic, commercial, and institutional needs and the constraints affecting their adequacy; and (iii) to evaluate the coping strategies adopted by households and institutions during water scarcity and the factors shaping planning strategies by authorities. A descriptive research design integrating qualitative and quantitative methods was used. The sample size was 161 households and selected business based on the list of registered business from Nyando Sub-county. There was a set of household questionnaires and guiding questions for businesses, focusing on their water sources during normal and drier seasons. The tools used were spatial images, interview schedules, and business and household questionnaires. Qualitative data was coded and statistically analyzed, along with the qualitative data. This was used to illustrate graphically, the various patterns and results of the study. This further informed the recommendations. Findings indicate that Awasi relies on non-piped, rain-dependent groundwater and surface water sources which are inadequate, unreliable, and of inconsistent quality. Households cope through rationing, purification, multiple sourcing, and storage, while institutional planning remains limited. The study also concluded that the town’s infrastructure development, like sanitation services is curtailed by the lack of proper water supply mechanisms. The study recommends establishment of a piped water system, improved governance, enhanced rainwater harvesting, and strengthened planning aligned with SDG 6. Additionally, the study recommends an urgent need for proper physical planning of small and medium sized towns in Kenya, including water supply.
Keywords
Small and Medium Sized towns planning, Urban Planning, Water acquisition, Climate-smart cities)
Citations
IRE Journals:
Lydia Mercy Guda, Prof. Caleb Mireri "Water Planning and Acquisition Strategies in Awasi Urban Centre, Kisumu County Kenya" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 8 Issue 9 2025 Page 1842-1856
IEEE:
Lydia Mercy Guda, Prof. Caleb Mireri
"Water Planning and Acquisition Strategies in Awasi Urban Centre, Kisumu County Kenya" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 8(9)
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