The Water Amendment Bill, 2026

In short

The Water (Amendment) Bill, 2026 aims to improve the efficiency of water storage and harvesting across Kenya. Currently, these roles are split between different government agencies, leading to overlaps. By repealing sections of the Water Act (Cap 372) that establish the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority, the Bill paves the way for a merger with the National Irrigation Authority. The combined entity will be known as the National Irrigation and Water Harvesting Authority. This consolidation is expected to streamline operations, reduce administrative costs, and better coordinate national water projects.

Clause by clause

1. Clause 1

   Short Title

   Establishes the official name of the law as the Water (Amendment) Act, 2026.

2. Clause 2

   Deletion of Definitions

   Removes the definitions of 'Water Storage Authority' and 'Water Storage Board' from the main Water Act to reflect the merger.

3. Clause 3

   Removal of Authority Subheading

   Deletes the specific subheading for the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority from Part III of the main Act.

4. Clause 4

   Repeal of Section 30

   Repeals the section that formally established the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority as a corporate body.

5. Clause 5

   Repeal of Section 31

   Abolishes the Water Harvesting and Storage Board, including its leadership structure and membership rules.

6. Clause 6

   Repeal of Section 32

   Deletes the specific powers and functions of the Water Storage Authority, such as building national water works and managing flood control.

7. Clause 10

   Amendment of Section 126

   Removes the Water Storage Authority from the list of bodies eligible to receive direct funding allocations from Parliament under this Act.

8. Clause 11

   Amendment of Section 130

   Removes the Water Storage Authority's power to retain and manage revenues from water permits, user fees, and other charges.