Small Local Service Provision for Water Service Delivery in Western Kenya: Inception Report

Most cities in low- and middle-income countries are unable to keep up with rapid urbanization and provide citywide coverage of piped water services. Typically, small, local providers, who are often not recognized or regulated officially, will informally serve a significant proportion of the people without access to piped water connections in the absence of reliable public service provision. In Kenya, USAID URBAN WASH is partnering with the national regulator, Water Services Regulatory Board, and utilities in western Kenya to conduct implementation research on how cities have begun to formalize these local water vendors. This research will inform decision-making regarding formalizing water vendors by:

• Understanding the choices made by utilities to engage water vendors, and the conditions that influence this choice.
• Understanding how utilities implement engagements with water vendors.
• Measuring and understanding the impact of engaging water vendors from the perspective of households and vendors.

This research inception report provides background information on water services in Kenya, summarizes key evidence gaps, and details the planned research methods.

Related Resources

• Improving Water Quality Among Small, Local Providers in Nairobi
• Pro-Poor Connection Subsidies to Improve Water Access in Ghana
• Accra Pro-Poor Water Connection Subsidy Study
• Urban Water Quality and Efficiency Assessment in Ghana
• Building Inclusive and Resilient Citywide Water & Sanitation Services: An evidence-based review of the role of small local service providers (SLPs) | Globalwaters.org
• The Role of Small, Local Service Providers in Inclusive Citywide Water and Sanitation | Globalwaters.org
• Pathways to Inclusive City-Wide Water and Sanitation Services