infrahub.africa

Background

In the absence of piped water, many informal settlement residents across Africa purchase water from water vendors. The prices they charge can make water unaffordable to the poor. The quality of this water is seldom controlled, and can sometimes result in contamination and disease. To address these challenges, SHOFCO implemented an overhead water distribution system in the Kibera informal settlement in 2016.

Approach

SHOFCO extracts ground water from deep boreholes, treats it to make it safe for consumption, and then distributes it to kiosks via an overhead network of pipes and storage tanks. The elevated distribution system reduces tampering, and the high visibility of leaks ensures that they are repaired swiftly, helping to save water. In 2021, they had 24 water kiosks located throughout Kibera.

Environmental Impact

The system of overhead water distribution pipes can be considered more water efficient than underground piping as leaks are immediately visible, and can be fixed swiftly to avoid further loss of water.