💧 Escalating Water Crisis in Kenya – July 2025

1. Households Still Struggle for Safe Water

Nearly one in three Kenyan households lack access to safe, reliable water—a crisis affecting millions, particularly in arid and semi-arid counties (ASALs). In these regions, families depend primarily on seasonal rains and old wells, both increasingly unreliable.

2. NDMA Warns of Imminent Shortages in 23 Counties

In July 2025, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) issued a stark alert: 23 of Kenya’s 47 countiesface imminent water shortages due to poor rainfall and overdrawn aquifers  .

• NDMA CEO Hared Adan, citing weak April–May rains, highlighted urgent needs for water infrastructure in the ASALs  .

• While livestock pasture exists, lack of water already impacts both people and animals, with conflict among pastoralists reported over dwindling resources .

3. Worsening Conditions Post-March–May Rains

Despite some rains in March–May 2025, drought conditions persisted:

• NDMA classifies 20–23 counties as in a worsening drought phase  .

• Xinhua reports that 1.8 million people in ASALs are food insecure, including 500,000 children under five and 100,000 pregnant women needing treatment  .

4. Compounding Crises: Food, Livestock, and Health

The drought crisis intertwines with food insecurity and health risks:

• Livestock diseases—like foot-and-mouth and camel pox—are on the rise across affected counties  .

• Agricultural indicators show widespread acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3+) across ASAL regions; this includes coping strategies like selling livestock or pulling children from school  .

• Water sources are drying fast: rivers, boreholes, pans, and shallow wells will likely last between 1–4 months, with recharge rates below 30% in many areas  .

5. Rural Vulnerability & Price Hikes

Resource scarcity is increasing pressures in rural communities:

• All 23 ASAL counties are experiencing increased water vending, with 20-litre jerrycans escalating from KES 2–10 at source to KES 50–100 in desperate conditions  .

• Daily domestic water consumption is falling to 10–20 Lpcd in stressed counties like Lamu and Mandera—well below WHO recommendations  .

6. Calls for Urgent Action & Community Resilience

Steps being taken:

• NDMA CEO emphasized the need for donors and partners to support initiatives that build water infrastructure—including wells, pans, and boreholes—particularly in ASAL counties  .

• Programs like TWENDE and other ecosystem-based adaptation efforts are underway to construct resilience funds, empower local institutions, and improve early warning systems backed by EU and UN support  .

🔍 Summary & Outlook

Kenya is in the midst of a deepening water crisis—driven by drought, climate variability, and strained resources. NDMA’s July 2025 designation of 23 high-risk counties marks a critical turning point. Combined with escalating food insecurity, livestock disease outbreaks, and rising water costs in ASAL communities, the situation demands urgent national and international investment in:

1. Water infrastructure (boreholes, pans, piped systems)

2. Rural water affordability and equitable access

3. Community-driven resilience plans and adaptation programs

📌 Key Update Highlights