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Harnessing rainwater solution to scarcity
Road users navigate through a flooded section of Kisauni-Bamburi road in Mombasa County on May 8, 2025.
What you need to know:
- With simple guttering and proper storage infrastructure, we can collect and store clean rainwater from rooftops during rainy seasons for use in drier months.
- Laikipia County is implementing an ambitious water access programme aimed at supplying 50,000 households with 3,000-litre capacity water tanks.
Water is life — and in arid and semi-arid counties like Laikipia, every drop matters. As a governor of a largely semi-arid county, I have seen the hardship people endure due to unreliable water access, especially during dry spells.
Ironically, these same regions experience heavy downpours, but the water disappears almost instantly as storm run-off, never stored for future use.
This paradox has prompted us to act decisively. One of the most practical and sustainable solutions to our water challenges lies quite literally above us: rainwater harvesting.
Harvesting water from roofs is vastly underexploited. With simple guttering and proper storage infrastructure, we can collect and store clean rainwater from rooftops during rainy seasons for use in drier months. It is cost-effective, sustainable and well-suited to the climate realities of Laikipia and many others counties.
In Laikipia, we have taken bold steps to transform this vision into action. The county is implementing an ambitious water access programme aimed at supplying 50,000 households with 3,000-litre capacity water tanks. These tanks, supported by roof harvesting systems, will empower households to collect and store rainwater directly.
Enhanced food security
A significant part of this initiative is being supported by the Financing Locally–Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) programme. We have prioritised water harvesting infrastructure under FLLoCA to directly improve household resilience, particularly in water-stressed areas. It is a clear example of how devolved climate financing can yield real, community-level impact.
This initiative is about transforming lives — especially for women and girls. In many communities, they bear the burden of trekking long distances in search of water, exposing them to attacks and harassment. The risk is even greater when they must compete with wild animals at shared water sources.
By bringing water to the doorstep, we are giving schoolgirls back their time — and with it, their education. With water available at home, more girls can stay in school and more mothers can cultivate kitchen gardens to feed their families and even earn income.
The ripple effects of this project are immense: improved sanitation, enhanced food security, reduced health risks and a more empowered, self-reliant community. It is also a vital climate adaptation strategy, allowing us to turn unpredictable rain into a reliable resource.
To my fellow leaders, especially in counties facing similar water challenges: let us take advantage of the rain when it falls. Every drop of rain is a missed opportunity if we do not collect it.
Mr Irungu is the governor of Laikipia County. [email protected]