Water Accessibility and Quality, for Sustainable Water Resource Management in Kenyan Arid Lands; A Case Study of Kalepo and Ngilai Conservancies

Kenya’s arid lands, including Ngilai and Kalepo conservancies, face multiple challenges such as poverty, poor infrastructure, weak governance, and climate change—leading to prolonged droughts, flash floods, and declining water sources. This study investigates water accessibility, depth, and quality of 125 water sources using focus group discussions (FGDs) and water quality experiments. Rainfall analysis showed 1997 as the wettest year (RAI +4.6, El Niño) and 2017 as the driest (RAI –4.2). A Mann-Kendall trend test revealed a non-significant positive trend (p = 0.368). Most water pans deplete within two months of dry season onset, and face issues like siltation, poor infrastructure, and contamination. Capacities ranged from 150–12,000 m³ with depths of 0.5–2 m. Boreholes are the main water source, while Kalepo also features springs and seasonal rivers due to its undulating terrain. The geology comprises metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. In wet seasons, seasonal springs within 3 km buffers offer accessible domestic water. During dry seasons, water conflicts occur within 10 km zones due to human-wildlife competition. Livestock migrates to the Mathews Ranges in search of vegetation, the perennial Ewaso Ngiro River, and permanent boreholes. Groundwater recharge occurs in sandy seasonal laggas, with yields of 5 m³/hr and borehole depths of 103–122 m, aided by fault lines. Water pH ranged from 6.5- 8.64, indicating acidic to slightly alkaline conditions, while EC values ranged from 250 to 4000 μS/cm. Findings highlight the need to improve water storage and manage siltation to build climate-resilient communities.