The Water Resources Authority (WRA) has put on notice lease holders and landowners who are operating boreholes and water wells without a permit.
Speaking during a press briefing on March 1, 2024, WRA officials gave all owners and operators of the water resources a timeline to renew their licenses.
According to the authority all owners and operators must renew their permits within the next thirty days.
“Failure to obtain or renew permits for boreholes, wells and other such resources puts the violator at risk of a fine not exceeding Ksh1,000,000 or imprisonment for a maximum of 2 years,” noted WRA.
WRA further warned that the borehole owners operating without licenses risk facing punitive action from the government.
“A permit is required of any of water use purpose. What I want to tell Kenyans is by law you cannot extract any water without any permit, please get the permit from WRA,” said WRA CEO Mohamed Shurie.
Boreholes regulation
Shurie said some permit holders, contractors and borehole owners have failed to submit their permit renewal documents to WRA, and other records as provided for in the Water Act, 2016.
Section 36 of the Act states that a permit is required for any of the water use purposes.
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That is any use of water from water resources from both surface and groundwater, the drainage of any swamp or other land and the discharge of a pollutant into any water resources.
It also applies to any other purpose to be carried out in or in relation to a water resource, which is prescribed by regulations made under the Act to be a purpose.
The CEO further urged every individual to embrace the responsibility of protecting and conserving these essential ecosystems.
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According to WRA, the renewal of expired water extraction permits for existing boreholes, other water works, and legalization of boreholes is to be done through the eCitizen online platform.
The Authority’s Board Chair Donald Murgor said WRA has established operational guidelines and procedures for permit applications.
Following the directive by the authority, Kenyans, especially city residents who depend on the many boreholes for water supply risk going without the crucial commodity.
An estimated 31, 551 vendors and operators are on the spot for engaging in the illegal water abstraction activities.
