Kenya


 * Kenya's Water Crisis **

= = =Kenya's Geography=

Kenya's land area is 569, 140 sq km. Next Kenya’s total water area is 11,227 sq km. The percent of land in Kenya is 98.07%. The percent of total area that is water is 1.93%. Kenya’s climate is hot, arid, and very dry. The Highlands are the best place for farming. Kenya’s arable land is 9.48% or 55018.79 acres. The amount of irrigated land is 1,032 sq km. The total percent of renewable water resources is 30.7 cu km. Kenya’s water withdrawal is 2.74 cu km per year. Mount Kenya is the 2nd highest peak in Africa and has glaciers.

The total population of Kenya is 45,010,056. The population of people in poverty in Kenya is 43.4%, 19,534,364.

Kenya's drinking water sources are wells, 2 underground water acquifers, rivers, and lakes.
 * Kenya’s Water Accessibility **

In Kenya, 82.7% of urban people have improved drinking water source and 17.3% unimproved. In the rural areas, only 54% of the people have improved drinking water sources while 46% have unimproved drinking water sources. Only 60.9% of the total population has improved drinking water sources. In Kenya, 29.4% of the total population has improved sanitation facility access. 70.6% of the population has unimproved sanitation facility access.



=Water Crisis=

Kenya suffers from massive drought as well as mud slides and floods. There are many water born diseases. For example, bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever. There is water pollution from urban and industrial wastes. Degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers. Also water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria.

Many people do not have access to fresh water. Mothers had to spend at least 1/3 of their day hiking to fresh water sources. They have very poor sanitation so all the waste goes right into the water. For example, in the capital of Kenya when pipes cease to work then pollutants can leak into pipes. When Kenyans try to access the water after the pipes have not been working the result can be deadly.
 * Physical or Economical Water Scarcity **

= What is being done =

The Wateraid foundation is helping Kenyan's through local partners. They are providing essential funds and expertise to support Kenya. The wateraid foundation is sponsoring wells in Kenya.