Athi Water Works Development Agency

What Athi Water Works Development Agency does

Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) is a Kenyan government parastatal established on 26 April 2019 under the Water Act 2016 via Legal Notice No. 28, as one of nine Water Works Development Agencies under the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation. The agency holds an exclusive statutory mandate to develop, maintain, and manage bulk water and sanitation infrastructure across Nairobi, Kiambu, and Murang'a counties, covering 5,800.4 km² and serving a population of 9,320,287. AWWDA also operates as a Water Services Provider (WSP) until bulk water assets are handed over to county governments.

The agency's core operations span bulk water production, wastewater treatment, and infrastructure development. Current bulk water production capacity is 664,337 m³/day (with some sources citing higher combined capacity of 874,337 m³/day including recent additions), and wastewater treatment capacity is 210,500 m³/day. Physical assets include the Kigoro Water Treatment Plant (140 million litres/day), Karimenu II Dam and associated treatment plant (70,000 m³/day), the Northern Collector Tunnel Phase I (an 11.8km raw water conveyance system adding 140 million litres/day), and the Dandora wastewater treatment plant (undergoing expansion under NaRSIP II). Active programs include KTSWSSP, NaRSIP II, NWSP, and the Nairobi Satellite Town Water Supply Project.

AWWDA's business model is structured as a state-mandated infrastructure delivery agency rather than a commercial utility. Capital expenditure is funded through Government of Kenya budgetary allocations, African Development Bank financing (KTSWSSP and related projects), and French Development Agency financing (NWSP), with cumulative infrastructure investment exceeding KES 200 billion. Direct customer relationships are with county governments, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (the primary bulk water off-taker), and indirectly with 9.3 million end-user residents. Tariff structures fall under Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) oversight. The agency is governed by a Board chaired by Mary Mungai, CBS, with Eng. Joseph Kamau as CEO, and operates under a published Strategic Plan 2023-2027 that targets 85% water coverage and KES 209 billion in resource mobilization by 2027.

Name

Athi Water Works Development Agency

Legal name

Athi Water Works Development Agency

Website

https://awwda.go.ke

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Athi Water Works Development Agency is a Kenyan government parastatal mandated with developing and managing bulk water and sanitation infrastructure for Nairobi, Kiambu, and Murang'a counties, serving over 9.3 million residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Bulk water supply
• Wastewater treatment services
• Water infrastructure development
• Public waterworks management
• Water utility services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Bulk Water Services Revenue: Revenue generated from providing bulk water services as a Water Services Provider (WSP) until asset handover to county governments. The agency operates waterworks and provides water services to customers within its jurisdiction.
2. Government Funding and Project Financing: Government of Kenya funded projects and development partner financing including projects from African Development Bank (AfDB), French Development Agency (AFD), and GoK budgetary allocations. Total investment in water and sanitation infrastructure exceeds KES 200 billion.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AWWDA operates as a government Water Works Development Agency mandated to develop, maintain, and manage bulk water and sanitation infrastructure for Nairobi, Kiambu, and Murang'a counties. It produces and distributes bulk water (664,337 m3/day capacity), treats wastewater (210,500 m3/day capacity), and develops major infrastructure including dams, tunnels, and treatment plants until assets are handed over to county governments.

Product overview

Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) operates as a government water utility providing bulk water production, distribution, and wastewater treatment services across Nairobi, Kiambu, and Murang'a counties in Kenya. The agency manages physical water infrastructure including dams, water treatment plants, pipelines, and wastewater facilities. The product portfolio centers on core water utility operations (bulk water production at 664,337m3/day capacity and wastewater treatment at 210,500 m3/day capacity), supplemented by major infrastructure projects such as the Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme, NaRSIP II sewerage rehabilitation, Nairobi Water and Sanitation Project, Northern Collector Tunnel system, Karimenu II Dam, and Kigoro Water Treatment Plant. The agency also provides technical services and capacity building to county governments and water services providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bulk Water Production and Distribution Core service under AWWDA's Water Services Provider mandate, producing and distributing bulk treated water to county governments and water services providers across Nairobi, Kiambu, and Murang'a counties. The agency operates waterworks infrastructure until assets are handed over to county governments.
• Wastewater Treatment Services Collection, treatment, and management of wastewater with capacity of 210,500 m3/day, including operation of the Dandora wastewater treatment plant. Services are provided to county governments and water services providers in the AWWDA service area.
• Technical Services and Capacity Building Provision of technical services and capacity building to county governments and water services providers within AWWDA's jurisdiction, including infrastructure planning support and technical advisory.
• Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (KTSWSSP) Water supply infrastructure expansion project serving over 50,000 residents in Kiambu town and surrounding areas, including new water treatment plant, distribution pipelines, and storage tanks. Funded by the African Development Bank.
• Nairobi Rivers Basin Rehabilitation and Restoration Program Phase II (NaRSIP II) Comprehensive sewerage system upgrade in Nairobi including rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, new sewer lines, and upgrading of Dandora wastewater treatment plant.
• Nairobi Water and Sanitation Project (NWSP) Water supply and sewerage infrastructure development for Nairobi communities including Mavoko and parts of Kajiado, benefiting approximately 30,000 residents through borehole drilling, storage tanks, and pipeline networks. Funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).
• Northern Collector Tunnel (NCT) Water Supply System Major water conveyance infrastructure including an 11.8 km underground tunnel diverting raw water from Maragua, Gikigie, and Irati rivers to Thika Dam, adding 140 million litres daily to Nairobi's water supply. Phase I completed in 2022.
• Karimenu II Dam and Water Treatment Plant State-of-the-art dam, water treatment plant, and distribution pipeline with capacity of 70,000 m³/day serving residents of Gatundu, Ruiru, Juaja, Thika, Kiambu Town, and Nairobi. Completed in 2023.
• Kigoro Water Treatment Plant State-of-the-art water treatment plant with production capacity of 140 million litres per day supplying Nairobi. Completed in 2020.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Smartcloud JV Miale LtdminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 10 June 2025Awarded contract for Athi Cluster Solarization Project valued at KES 181,948,745. The project involves solar power installation for water infrastructure to improve energy efficiency and reduce operational costs.
• Ministry of Water, Sanitation & IrrigationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent ministry that established AWWDA under the Water Act 2016. The Cabinet Secretary appoints the Board of Directors and receives technical support from the agency.
• Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB)coreOthersRegulatory oversight body ensuring AWWDA complies with service standards and consumer protection guidelines. WASREB sets tariff guidelines and service quality standards for water services providers.
• Nairobi City Water and Sewerage CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary bulk water customer receiving water supply from AWWDA infrastructure. AWWDA supplies sewer flushing units and supports infrastructure upgrades under NaRSIP II for this utility.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Johannesburg Water: Municipal water and sanitation utility serving the City of Johannesburg in South Africa. Comparable as a metropolitan-scale state-linked water utility, though it operates distribution/retail rather than the bulk-only mandate AWWDA holds.

Direct peers

• Umgeni Water: South African state-owned bulk water utility supplying potable water to municipalities, industry and mines in KwaZulu-Natal. Comparable in operating model (bulk supply to municipal/distribution entities) and infrastructure scope (dams, WTPs, pipelines).
• National Water and Sewerage Corporation (Uganda): Uganda's national bulk water and sewerage utility, operating treatment plants, distribution networks and wastewater facilities across urban areas. Comparable as a state-owned bulk-water utility in East Africa with similar scale, mandate and donor-financed capital programs.
• Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency: Sister Water Works Development Agency under Kenya's Water Act 2016, responsible for bulk water and sanitation infrastructure in the Lake Victoria North region. Operates the same statutory model with similar donor-financed capital projects as AWWDA.
• Coast Water Works Development Agency: A third Kenyan Water Works Development Agency created under the Water Act 2016 with a parallel mandate for bulk water infrastructure development across its assigned coastal counties. Directly comparable in mandate, funding model, and regulatory regime to AWWDA.
• Ghana Water Company Limited: State-owned water utility responsible for urban water supply across Ghana, operating treatment plants and distribution networks. Comparable as a government utility providing potable water services in West Africa at similar metropolitan scale.
• Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company: Primary downstream bulk-water customer of AWWDA and the municipal water services provider for Nairobi City County. Operates distribution and retail water services within the same geography AWWDA supplies, making it a directly comparable utility counterpart in the same value chain.
• Tana Water Works Development Agency: Another of Kenya's nine Water Works Development Agencies established under the Water Act 2016, with a similar mandate to develop and manage bulk water and sanitation infrastructure in its designated counties. Most directly comparable statutory peer operating under the same Kenyan legal framework as AWWDA.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Water Technologies: Global water technology and services company that designs, builds and operates water and wastewater treatment infrastructure for utilities and industries. Comparable in technical capability (large-scale treatment plants, plant operations) and as a potential partner/contractor for AWWDA's mega-projects.
• Rand Water: South African bulk water utility supplying treated water to municipalities across Gauteng and surrounding provinces. Comparable as a larger, established African bulk-water incumbent with a similar mandate of supplying municipalities and operating large-scale treatment and conveyance assets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AthiWaterWorks
• Facebookfacebook.com/athiwater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/athi-water-works-development-agency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Athi Water Works Development Agency