Kenya has taken a major step towards solving its persistent water loss problem by embracing cloud-based smart technologies aimed at reducing the Sh12 billion lost annually through unbilled water.

This comes after a new partnership between Liquid Intelligent Technologies and global water solutions provider DropByDrop Water Systems to implement intelligent water management systems across the country.

The collaboration seeks to tackle the challenge of non-revenue water (NRW), which currently stands at 44 per cent, meaning nearly half of the water distributed by utilities is either lost through leakages, poor metering, or simply goes unaccounted for.

According to the Kenya Water Services Regulatory Board, only a 20 per cent loss is considered acceptable, making the current level a serious concern for the sector’s sustainability.

With total billings recorded at Sh28.86 billion during the 2022/2023 financial year, the losses translate to Sh12.37 billion—an amount that could otherwise fund major infrastructure upgrades.

The rollout of these smart technologies is expected to strengthen billing systems, improve monitoring, and allow water utilities to boost service delivery.

“Water scarcity is a growing challenge across the continent, and managing this precious resource efficiently is more important than ever. Through our partnership, we’re bringing Liquid’s advanced technology and data-driven solutions to Kenya’s water sector,” said Liquid Kenya Acting CEO Neeraj Pradhan.

He said the digital shift will support the creation of smart water ecosystems that allow utilities to track and manage supply in real time, increase efficiency, and improve revenue collection.

A report tabled in Parliament in April 2025 showed that Nairobi recorded the highest non-revenue water losses, amounting to Sh8.5 billion. Other counties with notable losses included Mombasa (Sh1 billion), Kericho (Sh199.4 million), Kwale (Sh183.3 million), Kitui (Sh110.1 million), Sibo (Sh102.7 million), Lodwar (Sh89.1 million), Bomet (Sh68.1 million), and Narok (Sh53.3 million).

The report also highlighted the absence of basic infrastructure like master meters at water intake points in some companies, which made it impossible to accurately determine production or losses, even though their books reflected income from water sales.

The project will also support Kenya’s environmental and development agenda by helping track performance against the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and meeting broader ESG targets.

“Water is at the heart of life, yet millions still struggle to access it reliably,” said Khorolsky, International Projects Partner at DropByDrop. “By combining our data-driven water platform with Liquid’s powerful network, we’re creating a future where water is managed sustainably, equitably, and intelligently.”