Kenya Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (K-WASH) Program

GCA through AAAP is providing technical assistance (TA) to the World Bank Group (WBG), which is supervising the Government of Kenya's implementation of the Kenya Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program (K-WASH). GCA's support focuses on strengthening climate resilience in county water sector planning, investment prioritization, and capacity building. K-WASH is a US$458m hybrid operation combining a US$250m Program-for-Results (PforR) WBG Investment Project Financing that includes $50m under the window for host communities and refugees. The program includes counterpart funding of US$200m from the Government of Kenya, and US$8 million is to be leveraged from commercial financing by participating WSPs.
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Adaptation Need

Although 91% of Kenya’s urban population has access to improved water, only 63% of the rural population does—and just 19% have access to piped water supply. Rural counties face rising climate risks—floods disrupt wastewater treatment, pose contamination risks for water sources and damage water and sanitation infrastructure, while prolonged droughts exacerbate water scarcity. Counties often lack the tools, access to relevant climate data, and technical capacity to assess climate risks and integrate adaptation into planning and infrastructure design. Strengthening county-level planning systems and the financial performance of WSPs is essential to ensure K-WASH investments are sustainable, inclusive, and climate resilient.

GCA’s Added Value

Masterclass on climate-resilient water and sanitation services (CRWS): GCA is developing a five-module CRWS Masterclass to provide practical guidance on designing, operating, and maintaining climate-resilient water and sanitation services. It covers climate risk identification, integration of adaptation and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into planning, and strategies for accessing climate finance.
Climate risk-informed County Water and Sanitation Strategies and Investment Plans: GCA reviewed national guidance for CWSSIP development, supported CRVAs in Murang’a and Tana River counties, and provided technical input to six additional counties conducting their own assessments.
Use of climate data for improved planning of water and sanitation services: GCA is helping counties apply existing climate data to improve planning in vulnerable areas, including compiling an inventory of global and national data sources with guidance on accessibility and use.
Total Investment Value Influenced
$250.00M
Beneficiaries
4.00M
IFI Implementation period
2024 - 2030
Program
Water and Urban
Partners
World Bank
Status
In progress
Countries
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Kenya
SDG contribution
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06 – Clean water and sanitation
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10 - Reduced inequality
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11 - Sustainable cities and communities
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13 - Climate action

Project goals

Mainstreaming Adaptation and Resilience

GCA’s support aligns with the PforR’s Disbursement-Linked Indicators (DLIs), including approval of climate-informed CWSSIPs grouped by Result Areas. This approach provides counties with a financial incentive to integrate climate risk-based siting, design, and prioritization of water and sanitation investments into their CWSSIPs, embedding climate resilience in implementation. To build long-term capacity, GCA is delivering a Climate-Resilient Water Services (CRWS) Masterclass for public officials. The program uses a training-of-trainers model to build skills in climate risk analysis, investment planning under uncertainty, and NbS design. Peer-to-peer exchanges between counties and relevant water and sanitation institutions will help embed climate adaptation into sector planning, regulation, and service delivery nationwide.

Expected Outcomes

  • Increased sustainable access to improved water and sanitation services for households in climate-vulnerable rural areas in selected counties (including refugee hosting counties): GCA’s support to CRVAs and CWSSIPs helps counties prioritize investments in underserved and high-risk areas, including refugee-hosting counties.
  • The CRWS Masterclass equips stakeholders with tools to integrate resilience into service design, supporting the project’s goal of reaching 4 million people with sustainable and inclusive WASH services.
  • GCA interventions will strengthen the operational sustainability of water service providers by equipping them with tools, data, and strategies to manage climate risks. The guidance provided in the development of Countywide Water and Sanitation Strategies ensures that climate considerations are embedded into planning and operational frameworks.
  • Improved sanitation facilities constructed or rehabilitated which better incorporate climate risks and resilience into their design.

Timeline

GCA Support Status

Technical Assistance Preparation

GCA Support Implementation

December, 2023

GCA Support Completion

Monitoring

Finance

Project Investment Value

Total Investment Value

$250.00M

IFI Investment Value

$250.00M

IFI partners

World Bank

Contacts

General media inquiries

Request for information

Related articles & resources

World Bank Project Portal