Sustaining groundwater safety in peri-urban areas

Domestic groundwater safety in Kisumu, Kenya

The problem: As urban populations outgrow the ability of utilities to supply piped water, the growing dependence on privately developed urban groundwater raises questions of water safety for consumers.

The approach: Examination of past records of groundwater quality, field studies of present water quality, and projections and expert modelling of possible futures.

Key findings: Urban groundwater use has remained high over the study period (1999-2014). Risks to water safety have increased, according to sanitary surveys. Groundwater quality data tells a less clear story. Future (to 2030) risks may be highest in small towns and peri-urban settlements.

Where? Kenya

Consortium grant? No.

Principal Investigator: Dr James Wright (University of Southampton)

Research Team:

• Steve Pedley, University of Surrey
• Lorna G. Okotto, JOOUST
• Joseph Okotto-Okotto, VIRED

Research Organisations:

• University of Southampton – Grant NE/L001853/1
• University of Surrey
• Jaramogi Oginga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST)
• Victoria Institute for Research on Environment and Development International (VIRED)

Find out more:

• • • PDF summary
      • Sustaining groundwater safety in peri-urban areas
      • Maintenir la salubrité des eaux souterraines dans les zones périurbaines
    • Lapworth, D., J Wright and S. Pedley (2014) A tale of two cities: How can we provide safe water for poor people living in African cities? Planet Earth Magazine Winter 2014, p 22-23, NERC, London, UK
    • Okotto, L G; J. Okotto-Okotto; H. Price; S. Pedley; J. A. Wright (submitted) “Patterns of domestic groundwater consumption in Kisumu, Kenya”: a cross-sectional study, Submitted to Applied Geography
    • Fancy a swig? Water quality in shallow wells in Kisumu, western Kenya, Blog Post, by Heather Price, 16 July 2015
    • Price, H.D., L. G. Okotto, J. Okotto-Okotto, S. Pedley & J. Wright (2018) A participatory methodology for future scenario analysis of sub-national water and sanitation access: case study of Kisumu, Kenya, Water International, DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2018.1500343

Data:

• • • Okotto-Okotto, J.,Pedley, S.,Okotto, L.G.,Price, H.,Wright, J. (2014). Sanitary risk inspections of shallow wells, boreholes and springs in Kisumu, Kenya in 2014. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. http://doi.org/10.5285/bc1a979b-7cc9-4c9d-9fe4-a8510cd62f8e
    • Okotto, L.,Okotto-Okotto, J.,Price, H.,Pedley, S.,Wright, J. (2014). Socio-economic survey of domestic groundwater handling and use for source owners in Kisumu, Kenya in 2014. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. http://doi.org/10.5285/4ca855a3-752c-4492-8e26-3438652dd35c
    • Pedley, S.,Okotto-Okotto, J.,Okotto, L.,Price, H.,Wright, J. (2014). Groundwater microbiology and chemistry of shallow wells, boreholes and springs in Kisumu, Kenya in 2014. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. http://doi.org/10.5285/4062e6d9-2e90-4775-87f1-179dea283ef1
    • Okotto, L.G.,Okotto-Okotto, J.,Price, H.,Pedley, S.,Wright, J. (2014). Socio-economic survey of domestic groundwater handling and use for source customers in Kisumu, Kenya in 2014. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. http://doi.org/10.5285/6f3f1d06-4e6b-435e-a770-af7549993b88