Assessment of the Application of Water Conservation and Demand Management Strategies—Kakuma Refugee Camp Case Study

Water supply and sanitation hygiene indicators in African refugee camps show that the minimum water supply standards are unmet. An overview of water supply standards demonstrates low levels of water supply and sanitation hygiene, which is being affected by dwindling per capita water availability. Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp (KRC) receives an average of 15 l of water against a minimum life-saving requirement of 20 l/capita/day. This situation is worsened by recent refugee influxes from neighboring countries. The camp, established in early 1990s as a temporary refugee settlement, has now protracted into four decades. The population is bulging with no signs of camp closure. Pressure is exerted on available water resources. Substantial investments to improve the water supply in the last few years have not yielded targets. The humanitarian community now grapples with the herculean task of saving lives in the face of drying water sources and shrinking funds. Considerable levels of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) persist due to system inefficiencies, yet opportunities for improving water supply are not fully exploited. Water Conservation and Demand Management (WC/DM) strategies can alleviate water scarcity but information on how the measures are being applied is scanty. This study assessed the application of WC/DM strategies in KRC and formulated recommendations for improving the KRC water supply. A descriptive study design was used to collect data and relate it to the overall research objective. The study identified significant WC/DM gaps that need plugging, and has proposed recommendations to address the KRC water supply challenge.