A Japanese company’s technology.
With the overall non-revenue water (NRW) rate in Kenya standing at 43% as at 2024, many Water Service Providers have been left financially struggling to sustain their operations.
This high rate of loss of the already-treated water is majorly due to Physical Losses (Leakage and Infrastructure Issues) and Commercial Losses (Billing and Metering Issues).
Narrowing down to water leakages under physical losses, experts, engineers, researchers, government agencies and several stakeholders in the water industry globally have joined hands and researched a lot and managed to come up with numerous leak detection methods.
However, the actual solving of the problem after detection has been left unattended to due to lack of adequate, effective and economical technologies to completely seal the detected leakages.
SK-KAWANISHI CO.,LTD, a leading Japanese pipe joints manufacturer has emerged with such an effective and economical technology. Based in Kagawa Prefecture, in Japan and having a fully registered Kenyan local subsidiary, SK-KAWANISHI AFRICA LTD, the company has partnered with the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (MWSI), Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB), Water Services Providers Association (WASPA), Water Service Providers (WSPs), Water Works Development Agencies (WWDAs) and other Japanese agencies like Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Embassy of Japan to introduce their outstanding pipe joints technology to the Kenyan water sector.
“…fixing water losses will help us to be able to increase access to water services. We have a current partnership with SK-KAWANISHI just to look at how we can address Non-Revenue Water from a perspective of addressing physical losses…” (Mr. Richard Cheruiyot, Ag CEO – Water Services Regulatory Board, WASREB)
Having completed and commissioned the Ainamoi Water Supply Distribution Project in February 2024 funded by JICA and the ongoing implementation of the Belgut Water Pipeline Extension Project funded by the Embassy of Japan both in Kericho Water and Sanitation Company Ltd, Kericho, the Kericho company now reports a reduced recurrence of leakages, shorter repairing times and posts a reduced non-revenue water (NRW) of approximately 14% within the project area where HDPE pipes installation was done using SK-KAWANISHI mechanical joints.
Additionally, interviews with residents at the high pipe burst prone areas in Kericho Town were conducted before and after the introduction of SK-KAWANISHI pipe joints. After the introduction of SK-KAWANISHI pipe joints, users of water kiosks, well water and bottled water reduced due to improved quality, frequency of supply and most residents were paying only for piped water from KEWASCO.
The water consumers also felt satisfied by improved water quantity and increased pressures as well as the improved response from KEWASCO and their enhanced troubleshooting processes.
Improvement in efficiency of repair works was one of the major requests to the services of KEWASCO by water consumers before the introduction of SK-KAWANISHI pipe joints. However, this request vanished after the introduction of SK-KAWANISHI pipe joints and the water consumers’ suggestions to enhance repair quality decreased.
“SK Kawanishi Mechanical Joints offer a revolutionary solution that surpasses traditional butt fusion methods in terms of strength, flexibility, ease of installation, versatility, and exemplary performance.” (Eng. Kibii Chepkwony Siele, Managing Director – Kericho Water and Sanitation Company, KEWASCO)
SK-KAWANISHI pipe joints are made of ductile cast iron, epoxy resin powder coated internally and externally and are shock-absorbent, flexible, durable, leak-proof, requiring neither lubricants nor stiffeners, with external pull-out restraints and self-torque controlling mechanism.
Joint installations take minutes to complete, cutting down on thousands of working hours in addition to their ability to slide over the pipes to connect and to adapt different pipe material types (that is HDPE, PVC, PPR and GI/Steel pipe materials).
Furthermore, SK-KAWANISHI CO., LTD has organized seminars and training sessions about their products’ role in fighting non-revenue water (NRW) for Water Services Providers (WSPs) on 1st November 2024 and for Water Works Development Agencies (WWDAs) on 13th February 2025 through the Water Services Providers Association (WASPA) and the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (MWSI) respectively.
The company has also participated in major industry events such as the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) International Congress and Exhibition.
“As SK-KAWANISHI, we strongly believe that our pipe joints technology is an effective tool and a game changer in fighting against non-revenue water (NRW), especially the physical losses due to water leakages in water pipelines in Kenya.” (Mr. Akihiro KAWANISHI, President – SK-KAWANISHI CO.,LTD)
Small Caliber Product Lineup (50mm and below in diameter)
Male/Female Adaptors End Cap Tees
Bends Sockets
Large Caliber Product Lineup (63mm and above in diameter)
Sockets Flange Adaptors End Caps
Bends Tees
Kenya Office Contact Details:
Name: Festus Munyao Muindi
Position: Managing Director
Company: SK-Kawanishi Africa Limited
Physical Address: Unit 6, 45 Matumbato, Matumbato Road, Upper Hill, Westlands District, Nairobi.
Postal Address: P.O Box 24003-00100 Nairobi.
Telephone: +254799096466
Email: m_festus@skkawanishi.com
Website: https://www.sk-kawanishi.com