About National Water
Who we are
The Water Act No. 43 of 2016 came into effect on 21st April, 2017 and therein established the National Water Harvesting & Storage Authority. (NWHSA)
Our Mandate
Undertake on behalf of the national government, the development of national public water works for water…
Our Projects
“Developing and managing national water works infrastructure towards enhancing water security, flood mitigation and storage for multipurpose use.”
Latest News
February 26, 2026Located in Trans Nzoia County, Kwanza Constituency, Koisagat location, Sabwani flood control is critical in controlling floods along River Sabwani. River Sabwani is a major river prone to severe seasonal flooding, particularly in Namanjalala, Marinda, and Kwanza areas. It has displaced thousands of residents, with recent 2025 incidents flooding homes and schools. The Authority has managed to construct a four-kilometer dyke along the river with plans to extend the same so as to cover areas of the river’s tributaries like Kiptogot and Chemususu.
The Authority is implementing the project on behalf of the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Water and Sanitation to address the perennial floods that have continuously affected the area in the recent past.
Works on this project include extension of the existing earth dyke by with a crest of 4m and extension of the existing drainage channel collecting run-off water from the farms. The areas just like other parts of Kenya has experienced extreme weather events like more rainfall that has caused floods along River Sabwani hence the need to raise the dyke to respond to the rising water in the river.
During the recent site inspection by the PS, State Department for Water & Sanitation Mr. Julius Korir, the community gave their views on areas of priority and where gaps exist for the Authority to consider and have successful project implementation.
This has called for design review to include river training where River Chemususu joins the River Sabwani causing back flow that contributes to flooding in the area. Once these flood mitigation measures are complete, the perennial flooding menace experienced in the past such as displacement, loss of livestock and destruction of crops due to flooding will be minimal. Hence the project will help the community to carry on with the daily activities.
Flood control systems implemented by the Authority include dykes, gabions, check dams, and drainage canals. With the ongoing effects of climate change, the Authority continues to implement adaptive measures to ensure all projects are responsive to changing weather patterns, environment friendly, and sustainable.
Sabwani flood control [...]
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February 19, 2026The project is located in Nyando sub-county (Ogenya sub -location) in Kisumu County. This area lies at a very low altitude at the delta/mouth where River Nyando joins Lake Victoria. It covers the Villages of Kanduru, Kanyangi, Kajowi, Wachiegwe, Kanyamuok and Karagwel villages in Kanyagwal Location. All these Villages are on a flood plain and therefore experience immense flooding during the rainy season. The Authority has therefore constructed a dyke in this area to control and mitigate the effects of floods.
The project benefits include:
7000 hectares of arable land will be reclaimed
684 households of flood victims will be resettled.
Farming and fishing activities will continue smoothly
11 market centers will resume operations
Improved road network and other
infrastructure in the area.
Schools like Ombaka secondary and Ogenya primary to be restructured
Construction of Ogenya dispensary to be completed
The entire Kanyagwal location with a population of 70, 000 to benefit from this project.
This area, lying at a low altitude along the delta / mouth where River Nyando drains into Lake Victoria, is highly prone to flooding and back-flow from the lake.
All these Villages are on a flood plain and therefore experiences immense flooding during the rainy season and hence the need to mitigate the adverse effects of the floods.
This project aims to reclaim approximately 7,000 hectares of land and support settlement of evacuated flood victims.
For years, residents of West Kano in Kisumu County have endured perennial flooding that has displaced families, destroyed property and disrupted livelihoods. The most recent floods devastated 684 households, with 450 houses completely destroyed in Kanyagwal.
This will protect farmland and human settlements from frequent floods and facilitate the resettlement of displaced families, safeguarding critical public infrastructure such as schools, health centres, roads, markets and places of worship in previously affected villages.
West Kano flood control project new [...]
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January 29, 2026The Principal Secretary for the State Department of Water and Sanitation Mr. Julius Korir CBS, toured the Authority’s projects in West Pokot and Trans Nzoia counties to assess progress. These included Siyoi–Muruny Water Supply Project (Lots 1 & 2) in Pokot South Constituency, and Sabwani Flood control Project in Namanjalala, to assess progress and engage the project teams on timely delivery of this critical water infrastructure.
This was part of a high-level extensive inspection tour of critical water infrastructure projects aimed at transforming the lives of residents. Siyoi–Muruny dam project is implemented by the Ministry through the National Water Harvesting & Storage Authority.
Lot 1 involves the construction of a 30-metre-high cyclopean concrete dam with a 193m crest length, an embankment volume of 63,000m³, and a storage capacity of 8.9 million cubic metres. The dam is currently nearing completion. While Lot 2 of the project (Kabichbich Water Treatment Works) is complete and entails the construction of a conventional Water Treatment Works at Kabichbich, located 11.2km from the dam site, with a capacity of 38,800m³/day by the ultimate year 2035. The lot also includes water storage tanks with a total capacity of 17,865m³ and 127,226m of bulk water transmission and distribution pipelines and will significantly boost water supply capacity.
Once operational, the bulk water distribution and transmission system will serve Kapenguria, Makutano, Paraywa, Chepkono, Kabichbich, Chepyomet, Kaibos, Siyoi, Chepararia, Pertum, Korelach, Kapkoris, Nasokal, Chewoyet, Keringet, Karas, Murkwijit and Kishaunet.
The Principal Secretary further conducted a site visit to the River Sabwani Flood Control Project in Namanjalala, Trans Nzoia County, being implemented by the National Water Harvesting & Storage Authority. The Contractor is currently mobilizing and expects to start work within the next week.
By undertaking these works, the government aims to reduce flood risks and enhance resilience for communities along River Sabwani. To reverse these adverse consequences of flooding, the Government of Kenya through the Authority is extending the existing dyke by 300m and construction of a drainage channel to enable the residents carry out their farming and other socio-economic activities without interruption by floods.
The Principal Secretary further instructed the Authority to do a design review and incorporate river training works to address the recurring backwash experienced at the confluence of the Sabwani and Chemususu rivers, which has previously contributed to flooding in the area.
Earlier, the Principal Secretary, together with his entourage, had paid courtesy calls to the West Pokot County Commissioner Mr. David Saruni and Deputy Governor H.E, Robert Komole at the County headquarters in Kapenguria. The County Commissioner assured the Principal Secretary that they will ensure security for all government infrastructure.
The Deputy Governor called upon the Principal Secretary to secure resources for completion of the dam so that the residents could start benefitting from the project.Accompanying the Principal Secretary was the Water Secretary Eng. Samuel Alima, Eng. Eng. Julius Mugun and his technical team plus the Chief Executive Officer of the North Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency and other ministry officials.
The PS was accompanied by the Water Secretary Eng. Samuel Alima, Authority’s Ag. CEO, Eng. Julius Mugun and technical teams from the Authority and Contractor.
Siyoi and Sabwani assesement PS new [...]
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January 15, 2026The Ministry of Water, Sanitation and IrrigationCS Eng. Mugaa Murithi Eric set the pace and agenda for the New Year 2026 in a strategic meeting held at Maji House with the top leadership in the sector.
The CS highlighted key priority areas in the sector among them; timely project implementation to support the government’s development agenda and good corporate governance that will enhance transparency and accountability. The meeting reaffirmed the resolve to enhance governance, accelerate project implementation and deepen collaboration across national and county governments to deliver sustainable water solutions that transform lives.
Eng. Mugaa reiterated the need to ensure projects are sustainable, resilient, responsive and most importantly impactful by improving livelihoods of communities and enhancing socio-economic development.
“In line with the national government’s development agenda, our top priority remains ensuring equitable access to clean and safe water for all Kenyans, while strengthening sanitation services and improving sector efficiency.” CS Mugaa
On food security, Eng. Mugaa said the Government remains firmly committed to expanding irrigation as a key economic and resilience pillar. Through flagship and community-based irrigation schemes, as we continue working towards increasing the acreage under irrigation nationwide, boosting agricultural productivity, supporting livelihoods and driving inclusive growth.
Water and Sanitation PS Julius Korir and Irrigation PS Ephantus Kimotho Kimani attended the meeting. Also present were the Ministry’s senior officials, National Water Harvesting & Storage Authority Ag. Chief Executive Officer Eng. Julius Mugun and CEOs from the water sector institutions.
We are delighted to be part of this great team under his leadership. We are currently implementing water harvesting, storage and flood control projects across the country at various stages. Some of the projects include mega, medium-sized and micro dams, boreholes and flood control systems.
CS Erick Mugaa [...]
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January 7, 2026The Soweto Gabion Dykein Lodwar, Turkana Countyis a flood control project implemented by the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority to protect communities from recurring floods along the Lodwar–Lokichogio river section. The project involves constructing and raising a gabion dyke to strengthen riverbanks and control floodwaters that frequently threaten nearby settlements and infrastructure. By increasing the dyke’s height from about one metre to two metres, the project helps contain rising water levels, reduce soil erosion, and safeguard livelihoods in the surrounding areas. The Soweto Gabion Dyke therefore plays an important role in enhancing flood resilience and supporting climate change adaptation in flood-prone parts of Turkana County.
Dykes are raised embankments constructed along the banks of rivers or lakes to prevent water from overflowing during floods. By raising the height of riverbanks, dykes help contain river or lake water during flood events, protecting surrounding communities, agricultural land, and critical infrastructure. They also assist in managing storm surges during extreme weather conditions, reducing the risk of flooding in low lying areas.
By keeping floodwaters at bay, dykes support land reclamation and create opportunities for agricultural activities while protecting water catchment areas and other vital ecosystems that can be impacted by flooding.
Dykes play a critical role in climate change adaptation by protecting communities, infrastructure, and agricultural land from flooding caused by rising sea levels, increased rainfall, and extreme weather events. As climate change intensifies floods and storm surges, well-designed dykes act as physical barriers that control water flow, prevent lake and river flooding, and safeguard livelihoods and ecosystems. They also help manage water levels in flood-prone areas, supporting sustainable land use, food security, and resilience of vulnerable communities. By reducing disaster risks and minimizing economic losses, dykes form an essential component of climate-resilient water management and infrastructure planning.
Soweto dyke [...]
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December 22, 2025The Authority held its annual Staff Performance Review towards the end of the year 2025
The aim was to assess progress of our achievements, challenges, lessons learnt and way forward in readiness for the new calendar year 2026. The Authority’s Chairperson Dr. Jane Mwikali (Rev), expressed sincere gratitude to all staff for their hard work and commitment throughout the year urging them to aim higher in the new year.
Dr. Mwikali reiterated the need for teams to embrace good corporate culture that aligns with the Authority’s core values. She was happy with the progress on this noting that teams can achieve more with the teamwork and good culture.
The Board of Directors emphasized the need to plan, procure and track progress of projects and general operations of the Authority for improved service delivery. They added that they recognized individual and group efforts towards the betterment of the Authority while appreciating the milestones and challenges encountered in the calendar year.
During the meeting, the Ag. CEO highlighted key milestones that include approval of the Authority’s Human Resource instruments, mapping of projects for implementation, improvement in the Performance Contract scores and completion of key flood control projects.
Eng. Mugun highlighted key milestones: approval of HR instruments, mapping of projects for implementation, improvement in the Performance Contract scores and completion of key flood control projects.
Staff were encouraged to enhance the use of technology and innovation in their work. This is expected to improve efficiency and effectiveness, paving way for timely service delivery, in project implementation.
Eng. Mugun thanked the technical staff for their commitment to perform despite the challenges. He further emphasized the need for agility among teams to adapt to new trends and challenges like climate change while aligning with the Authority’s core values.
The Chief Executive Officer thanked the leadership of the Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation led by the Cabinet Secretary Eng. Mugaa Eric , the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Water & Sanitation Mr. Julius Korir for their immense support throughout the calendar year 2025.
He noted that the Authority was in the process of rolling out several water projects majority of which are at the design stage and geared towards supporting the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA)
staff performace review [...]
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