Welfare impacts of water security in Kenya: Evidence from the Upper Ewaso Ngiro North Catchment Area

Abstract

Water insecurity is a major concern both in the global and local contexts. The study estimated the sub-catchment water poverty index and the household water security index, on cross-sectional farm household data collected from 652 households randomly selected from eight sub-catchments of the Upper Ewaso Ng’iro North Catchment Area (ENNCA). The impact of water security on household income per adult equivalent and prevalence of waterborne diseases was assessed using ordinary least squares regression and Poisson regression models respectively. Water Poverty Index (WPI) results revealed that Sirimon and Ewaso Narok sub-catchments are faced with acute water stress, while the rest of the sub-catchments are faced with moderate water stress despite being in the sub-catchment area. The results showed that improved water security can offer welfare benefits to households through increments in household income and reduced water-borne disease prevalence. From the findings, therefore, improved water security can offer both economic and health solutions to some of the country's problems including poverty alleviation and reduce the government's budget spending on communicable and non-communicable water-related diseases.