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The director representing pro-poor interventions in the board of directors and staff members drawn from the pro-poor section undertook an inspection exercise of all pro-poor projects of the company on 9th November 2021. This was in a bid to familiarize with all pro-poor interventions as well as ensure that the projects are operating optimally to the benefit of people living in low income areas within the service area of the company.

NYEWASCO has made investments in these areas so as to ensure  that access to  water and sanitation is increased. This is achieved through undertaking NRW management, expanding water connection, expanding sanitation access, sensitization programs, reviewing customer experiences, expanding linkages and partnerships with pro-poor areas focus, and enhancing the management of information systems for pro-poor.  In addition, deliberate effort is made to enhance business process for pro-poor, implementing the company’s social connection policy, and monitoring service provision levels in low income areas.

Some of the projects visited during the induction exercise include;

Water Kiosk- Mweiga

Water Kiosk- Majengo

Upscaling Basic Sanitation for the Urban Poor (UBSUP) toilets in Witemere

Water ATM in Witemere

The board member was impressed by the efforts that the company has put in increasing access to water and sanitation services in low income areas within her service area and reiterated the board’s support for the projects so as to improve the quality of life for the residents. The Chief Manager, Commercial Services and Strategy Francis Kiura led the exercise.

The company set aside Friday 29^th October as a complaints resolution day as a Rapid Response Initiative to find lasting solutions to customer complaints. A large number of customers visited the company offices and they were served on the spot. The exercise is set to continue until 5^th November 2021. Customers can now access NYEWASCO services round the clock which has been made possible by the unveiling of 24 hours’ customer service. A 24-hour phone number 0714 430 000 was also introduced to enhance service delivery

In a bid to increase access to potable water to residents in low income areas, Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company runs an automated water kiosk in Witemere which is a low income area in Nyeri town. The water ATM has ensured efficiency in access to clean water to the residents any time of the day. This has been made possible by the use of water tokens which customers have been issued with by the company. These tokens are loaded with money through  mobile money transfer. A 10 litre jerrican of water costs Sh.1.

The Pro-Poor section celebrated the customer service week together with Witemere customers where each customer was gifted a token of 100 Shillings which translates to 100 jerricans. The customers could not hide their joy while receiving the free token especially during this period where most of them have lost their source of daily bread due to the effects of the Corona Virus Disease.

IMPACT 13: A performance Report of Kenya’s Water Services Sector 2019/20

An award ceremony was held on 18/10/2021 at the Sportsman Arms Hotel in Nanyuki  to recognize winners of the performance report of Kenya’s Water Services Sector 2019/20 Impact Issue no 13 where NYEWASCO emerged top in the following categories;

                     (1) Top performing utility overall number 1

                      (2) Top in very large category

                      (3) Top Tana region

                      (4) Top in Non Revenue Water

 The sector regulator (WASREB) released the report on 30th  June 2021.
In the report dubbed Impact 13, the performance of the water services sector for the financial year 2019/20 was reviewed. The regulator continues to develop and roll out a number of guidelines that are geared towards streamlining service provision and ensure the protection of the rights of the consumer. Some of these include; Business Planning, Water and Sanitation Services Provision in Rural and Underserved Areas, Water Safety Planning, Water Vending, Corporate Governance and Pro-Poor Water and Sanitation Services guidelines.
These guidelines serve as the yardstick with which WASREB uses to evaluate the performance of individual Water Services Providers (WSP’s) within one financial year.
Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company scooped the first position overall with 169 points out the possible 200 points. The company has held the number 1 position for the last 13 years in a row.

While receiving the trophies, the Managing Director Eng. Peter Kahuthu thanked the National Government, the County Government of Nyeri,  the board of directors and the entire staff  for their stellar performance and dedication which has resulted to the exemplary performance.

In addition, the chairman of the Board Technical Committee  Charles M. Kariuki who was representing the chairman of the board of directors Patrick Munuhe thanked all staff, esteemed customers and all stakeholders for the admirable performance. He also urged the NYEWASCO team to uphold the number one position and strive to improve on all other key performance indicators as the company strives to deliver quality services to her customers. He also expressed his gratitude to the County Government of Nyeri for its continued support under the leadership of H. E Governor Mutahi Kahiga.

 Nyeri County Executive Committee Member for the department of Water, Environment, Natural Resources and Sanitation Fredrick Kinyua reiterated the County Government’s commitment in supporting all the Water Services Providers in Nyeri County to enable them deliver on their mandate of delivering potable water and sanitation services to the residents of Nyeri County. He also urged the WSP’s from Tana region to invest in peer learning activities which will promote growth and improvement of their services.  He further challenged WASREB to involve policy makers at all levels during the award ceremonies so that they can understand the challenges faced by the water sector alluding to the fact this would largely affect resource allocation to the sector positively.

The short ceremony was held in observance of MOH guidelines on the Corona Virus Disease and was followed by data validation exercise for the 2020/21 performance.

Happy customer service week to all our esteemed customers. Today, as we continued serving you and appreciating you for the continued support that you have accorded to us through the year, few lucky customers were gifted a branded cap to appreciate them for being an integral part of the company! watch this space. We will close the customer service week in style!

Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company Board of Directors led by chair Patrick Munuhe on September 13th 2021 embarked on an inspection exercise of all the company’s facilities to ensure that they are operating optimally. The tour which saw them visit the catchment area in River Chania and Zaina also took them to Ihwa intake, Kamakwa treatment plant, Kangemi sewer treatment plant, Mathari twin tank, Tetu tank, among other many other facilities.

The members of the board who were accompanied by the senior management also visited Nyeri Hill where the company plans to construct a water tank to increase supply efficiency. They also visited the proposed Baraka- Chaka water extension project phase which is intended to serve over 1,000 residents of Baraka estate in Kieni East Sub County to serve approximately 200 water connections in phase I. These proposed projects are some of the flagship projects planned for in the Strategic Plan 2021/22- 2025/26.

The directors were impressed by the status of the facilities and urged the company’s management to maintain the high standards found in all of them. Speaking during the tour, chair Patrick Munuhe congratulated all staff, customers and all other stakeholders for maintaining position one in the 2019/20 Wasreb Performance Report a position the company has held for the last 13 years as well as Non-Revenue Water champions in the recently released report by the Ministry of Water and Sanitation on Non- Revenue Water Management with a NRW ratio of 14%, the lowest in the country.

He also challenged them to do even better in the subsequent evaluations. Nyeri County Executive Committee Member for the department of Water, Environment, Natural Resources and Sanitation Fredrick Kinyua who joined the team in inspection of the proposed Baraka- Chaka water extension in Kieni. The CECM reiterated Nyeri County Government’s commitment in supporting the company as it delivers on its mandate of provision of clean and safe drinking water and sanitation services to the residents of Nyeri Central Sub County and its environs. He also commended the Board of Directors, management and all staff for excellent service delivery.

The Customer Care section spent their day in the heart of Kiawara in Nyeri Town serving our customers. The multi departmental team has been hailed by the customers for taking the services closer to them. This is being conducted under the customer sensitization exercise which seeks to educate them on services rendered, how to access them as well as resolving customer complaints. The team will head to Majengo on 16th September 2021 for the same exercise. The exercise is one of the Company’s interventions in Low Income Areas aimed at increasing access to clean water and sanitation services.

Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company is committed to the realization of the set target by the government of Kenya of making potable water and safe sanitation accessible to all by the year 2030 and United Nations SDG 6 which promotes the accessibility of clean water and sanitation for all.

The exercise was conducted in strict observance of the Ministry of Health guidelines on curbing the spread of the Corona Virus Disease. Customers were sanitized on arrival and each one of them was provided with a mask.