Mapping the invisible: Using data to transform water access in East Africa

A WaterLeadership Snapshot

WaterLeadership Snapshots feature articles written by graduate students participating in the Water Institute’s WaterLeadership training series. Students describe the value of their research and its potential for real world impact.

By Elisha O. Okoth, Ph.D. candidate, School of Environment, Resources & Sustainability, Faculty of Environment. l Blue Range Labs.

“Pi en Ngima. Maji ni Uhai. Water is Life.”

At a recent water stakeholders’ meeting in Kisumu City, Kenya, participants were asked to translate “Water is Life” into their mother tongue. The responses: “Pi en Ngima” in Dholuo, “Maji ni Uhai” in Kiswahili, and “Water is Life” in English, all carried the same undeniable truth. No matter the language, the message is clear: water is essential for all living things. Yet, for millions across Africa, this fundamental necessity remains out of reach.

Around 650 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack drinking water services on premises. In urban areas, two in five people lack safely managed water, while in rural areas, the number rises to four in five. The burden of fetching water often falls on women and girls, who spend up to three hours daily collecting it. This limits their education and socio-economic opportunities, while also posing a significant risk to their physical and psychosocial health and wellbeing.

In many cities, where formal water utilities fall short, informal water vendors such as tanker operators, hand cart suppliers, and small-scale resellers step in to fill the gap. They deliver water off the grid, supplying households, businesses, and institutions in informal settlements, urban fringes, and rural regions.

But here’s the paradox: while these vendors provide essential water access to millions, they remain unregulated, unmonitored, and often distrusted. According to a 2019 World Bank report on informal water markets, transparency issues due to pricing discrepancies, ambiguous water sources, and uncertain water quality create tensions between consumers, vendors, and local utilities. With little data, assessing their true impact remains a challenge.

Working under Dr. Dustin Garrick at the University of Waterloo, PhD candidate Elisha O. Okoth is mapping the hidden world of informal water vendors using interviews, GPS tracking, and GIS mapping. The study seeks to understand where vendors operate, how they distribute water, and what influences consumer choices. The intent is to provide data-driven insights to improve water governance, integrate vendors into formal systems, and address inequalities in access.

Elisha O. Okoth, Ph.D. candidate, School of Environment, Resources & Sustainability, Faculty of Environment.

Preliminary findings from Kisumu, based on tracking tanker transactions, source purchases, sales, and distribution patterns, reveal:

• In just two weeks (March to April 2024), informal water vendors delivered one million liters of water.
• Vendors purchase water for 80 KSH per 1,000 liters and resell that water for 600 KSH. A 7.5-fold price increase.
• Vendors travel an average of 10 km per trip, with some covering up to 50 km.
• While longer distances result in slightly higher prices, other market forces also influence affordability.
• Tanker truck businesses also face other costs in terms of labour, fuel, insurance, and maintenance and replacement of their trucks. Despite high margins on water, important questions remain concerning the financial viability of some businesses. 

While further research is needed, these early insights highlight the existence of underserved areas and could inform strategies for improving water access.

Beyond Kenya, informal water markets represent a multi-billion-dollar global industry. Yet, without data, their full potential and the risks they pose remain hidden. This knowledge gap not only inhibits policy reforms but also hinders innovation and sustainable water solutions.

As urban populations grow and climate change exacerbates water scarcity, efficient and inclusive water management is no longer an option but a necessity. Informal water vendors already serve the most vulnerable populations, yet their contributions remain largely overlooked.

By harnessing data, technology, and sound policies, informal water vendors can shift from being overlooked suppliers to trusted partners in urban water security, ensuring that every drop reaches those who need it most.

This research is part of the Beyond the Informal Water Paradox Project, led by Dr. Dustin Garrick, University Research Chair in Water and Development Policy and Group Lead & Chair of Blue Range Labs. The project was co-created with Dr. Diana Karanja, founder and Executive Director of Community Health Support (COHESU) located in Kisumu, Kenya, and Dr. Susan Elliott, Professor in Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo. It is also supported by Dr. Graham Epstein, Co-Lead of Blue Range Labs. The project is funded by Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).