Development of Catchment Management Strategies and Water Resources Management Rules

The Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA) was established in November 2003 to be the lead agency with respect to water resources management in Kenya. The Water Act 2002 charges the WRMA with the following powers and functions: Water allocation and apportionment; Monitor and assess the national water resources management strategy; Receive and determine water permit applications; Monitor and enforce conditions attached to the permits; Regulation and protection of water resource quality from adverse impacts; Management and protection of water catchments; Determine charges for water resources; Gather and maintain information on water resources and to publish information on the same; Coordination with other bodies for better water resources management; and advising the Minister with respect to water resources management. The Water Act 2002 empowers the WRMA to prepare and have gazetted rules and regulations that give effect to the Water Act 2002. Section 15 of the Water Act 2002 mandates the WRMA to formulate a Catchment Management Strategy (CMS) for the management, use, development, conservation, protection and control of water resources within each catchment area.

This assignment was carried out within the framework of the Kenya Water and Sanitation Programme,with the objective to support the WRMA staff at the head office and the regional offices to develop Catchment Management Strategies for the six WRMA catchments and to contribute to the finalization of Water Resources Management (WRM) Rules.

The purpose of WRM Rules is to give legal basis to the interpretation of water resources use requirements and strengthen regulatory functions of WRMA. Catchment Management Strategies contribute towards catchment protection and other WRM measures as defined in the CMS implemented in the river basins.