Poor wastewater management is draining Kenya’s economy of $94 million annually while exposing 15 million people to contaminated drinking water, a report by Back to Blue and the Ocean Sewage Alliance revealed Thursday.
Launched at the World Ocean Summit, the study warns that only 11% of Kenya’s wastewater receives adequate treatment, crippling agriculture, fisheries, and healthcare systems—a crisis echoing across Brazil, India, the Philippines, and the UK.
The report, which models costs of inaction, found untreated sewage slashes Kenya’s sugarcane, corn, and potato yields by over $80 million yearly, while polluted waterways cost fisheries $13 million. Contaminated irrigation and drinking sources also burden the health sector with $67 million in annual losses from waterborne diseases, hospitalizations, and lost wages. “Inadequate sewage systems leave populations sick and starving while bleeding economies,” said Richard Damania, World Bank Chief Economist for Sustainable Development.
Kenya’s plight mirrors a global challenge: 40% of the world lacks safe water access. The study urges governments to prioritize wastewater infrastructure, noting decentralized systems and circular solutions—like repurposing sewage into fertilizer or biogas—could mitigate losses. “These financial hits are entirely avoidable,” stressed Dr. Amelia Wenger of the Wildlife Conservation Society, highlighting how failing policies strain families and healthcare networks.
While high-tech innovations offer fixes, the report emphasizes immediate investment. Back to Blue and the Ocean Sewage Alliance are pushing policymakers to act, arguing that every dollar spent on treatment safeguards food security, public health, and export markets. For Kenya, where 80% of wastewater flows untreated into ecosystems, the cost of delay is measured in lives and livelihoods.
Access the full report: http://backtoblueinitiative.com/the-scourge-of-untreated-wastewater/
