Assessing the effectiveness of locally-led public good climate investments in water infrastructure in Wajir County

A 2023 longitudinal study of 23 water infrastructure projects in Wajir County, Kenya, found that boreholes are significantly more resilient to climate shocks than water pans, which accounted for all non-functional projects. While community involvement in planning fostered ownership, the study identified critical gaps in technical capacity for maintenance, a lack of climate information during the design phase, and a failure to budget for ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

• Boreholes demonstrated significantly higher resilience and functionality compared to water pans. Water pans represented 100% of non-functional projects and 80% of partially functional projects because they are seasonal and susceptible to siltation during floods and drying during prolonged droughts.
• The overall functionality of the 23 assessed investments varied: 11 were functional, four were partially functional, three were non-functional, and four were not in use during the visit. Seasonal differences were stark, with 19 projects providing sufficient water for domestic and livestock use in the wet season, but only 12 doing so in the dry season.
• Community-led prioritisation, planning, and decision-making increased the long-term functionality of investments by fostering a sense of ownership. However, the study suggests that planning should also include broader water resource management entities like water service providers and water trust funds to ensure sustainability.
• Technical and financial gaps hinder the maintenance of water infrastructure. Site committees often lack the technical skills for routine maintenance and face shortages of essential spare parts, leading to equipment deterioration. Additionally, community-raised user fees are often insufficient for major repairs.
• A lack of climate information during the design and siting phase, particularly for water pans, left investments vulnerable to climate shocks, resulting in physical damage and the need for frequent rehabilitation.
• The County Climate Change Fund (CCCF) failed to budget for the monitoring and evaluation of investments, allocating funds only for new projects. This gap prevents the early detection of challenges and the documentation of the investments' effectiveness as climate interventions.

APA

Jebiwott, A., Osumba, J., Orindi, V., Ododa, K., Magoma, I., Mohamed, T., Mohamed, J., Karaho, E., Rajabali, F., & Redda, R. (2024). Assessing the effectiveness of locally-led public good climate investments in water infrastructure in Wajir County. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Technical%20Brief_Wajir_FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Jebiwott, Alice, Joab Osumba, Victor Orindi, Kennedy Ododa, Ivy Magoma, Turane Mohamed, Jimale Mohamed, et al. Assessing the effectiveness of locally-led public good climate investments in water infrastructure in Wajir County. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2024. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Technical%20Brief_Wajir_FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{jebiwott2024assessing, author = {Jebiwott, Alice and Osumba, Joab and Orindi, Victor and Ododa, Kennedy and Magoma, Ivy and Mohamed, Turane and Mohamed, Jimale and Karaho, Esperanza and Rajabali, Fatema and Redda, Robi}, title = {{Assessing the effectiveness of locally-led public good climate investments in water infrastructure in Wajir County}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2024}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Technical%20Brief_Wajir_FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }