Factors affecting service delivery among water companies in Kenya: A case study of Garissa water and sewarage company

Abstract

Lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation services is worldwide problem that results in the death of four million people annually. More than 30% of common re-current diseases are water and sanitation related and most of those affected are found in Africa. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate the factors affecting service delivery among water and sewerage companies in Kenya. The study specifically sought to establish the extent to which unaccounted for water, employees' level of training, management styles, water pollution and existing water infrastructure affect the operations of Garissa water and Sewerage. The design was descriptive; the target population was 160 employees of Garissa water and Sewerage Company. However, a sample of 47 respondents was selected using stratification and random sampling techniques. Data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The findings revealed that the main factors affecting Garissa water and Sewerage management were unaccounted for water mainly due to illegal water connections, pipe bursts and leakages. In addition, other factors included water pollution which was caused by human/livestock waste, siltation and sedimentation as well as financial constraints, political interference, lack of skilled man-power, corruption in the company and inefficient billing system. The study recommends that implementation of a surveillance system to help the management identify the illegal water connections and alert it on bursts and leakages for prompt repairs. There is need for monitoring and ensuring he billing system is fully computerized to ensure efficiency in the water distribution system.