Water as Leverage, Nakuru

29/04/2026

🌿 Bioswales: Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Cities 🌿

As cities grow, managing stormwater effectively becomes crucial. Bioswales are a smart, sustainable way to handle rainwater while enhancing urban spaces. These vegetated channels:

✅ Reduce Flooding by slowing and absorbing runoff
✅ Filter Pollutants before they reach water sources
✅ Support Biodiversity with native plants and green corridors
✅ Enhance Public Spaces by integrating greenery into streetscapes

By incorporating bioswales into urban planning, we create resilient, livable, and climate-adaptive cities. 🌱🚶‍♂️ Let’s design with nature!

29/04/2026

💧 Could our cities handle rain like nature does?

Rain shouldn’t be a problem, but in most cities, it is.

Concrete streets rush water into drains. Systems overflow. Flooding follows. And we keep building the same way.

There’s a smarter approach: Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).

1. They stop floods before they start

By holding and slowing rainwater, SuDS reduce pressure on drainage systems when it matters most.

2. They clean water as it moves

Soil and plants filter out pollutants—turning runoff into a resource, not a risk.

3. They build climate resilience

As storms intensify, SuDS help cities adapt without relying solely on expensive grey infrastructure.

4. They bring nature back into cities

Green roofs, rain gardens, and wetlands create space for biodiversity to thrive.

5. They cool the urban heat

Vegetation lowers temperatures, making streets more comfortable and liveable.

6. They make cities more human

Beautiful, green spaces replace sterile concrete - improving wellbeing and everyday experience.

7. They save money long-term

Flexible, scalable, and often cheaper to maintain than traditional drainage systems.

SuDS work with nature, not against it.

Slowing down the water cycle is one of the best things we can do for the resilience of our cities in the coming years.

Let it soak in. Clean it naturally. Reuse it where possible.

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Join us at the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13)- where global leaders, urban planners, and communities converge to co-create inclusive, safe, and resilient cities for everyone.

To register, search "World Urban Forum" or visit wuf.unhabitat.org

26/04/2026

Across Vietnam, market roofs are being transformed into living green spaces where herbs and small plants grow above busy stalls. Instead of bare metal sheets that trap heat, these planted roofs create a natural layer that shades both shoppers and vendors throughout the day.

The herbs act as a cooling system. By absorbing sunlight and releasing moisture, they help lower temperatures below, keeping produce fresher for longer and making the market environment more comfortable. In crowded areas near schools, markets, and apartment blocks, this simple change reduces the intensity of summer heat in a noticeable way.

Beyond comfort, these green roofs bring additional value. They can be harvested for fresh herbs, add greenery to dense urban spaces, and improve air quality in their surroundings. What was once just a protective cover becomes something productive and alive — showing how everyday structures can be reimagined to support both people and the environment.

25/04/2026

Along rivers in Switzerland, what may look like randomly scattered stones are actually placed with careful intention. These rocks are arranged strategically to slow the movement of water, especially during periods of heavy rainfall when river levels can rise quickly.

By disrupting the flow, the stones reduce the speed and force of the current, helping water spread more evenly instead of rushing downstream all at once. This lowers the risk of sudden surges and gives the river more time to handle increased volumes naturally.

It’s a simple, nature-inspired approach that works with the landscape rather than against it. Without relying on large structures, these small interventions help manage water flow more gently — showing how thoughtful placement can quietly reduce flood impact while preserving the river’s natural character.

25/04/2026

🏢🌿Nature-based solutions have a lot to offer cities, like:

☀️Reduced extreme heat
💧Improved water security
🌱New green jobs

Through a combination of upland foresting and urban greening, watershed restoration efforts are already starting to deliver positive results in three African cities➡️ https://go.wri.org/3-african-cities-in-focus

This , we're putting around the world to remind you that positive impact is in progress. Visit our account all week for more stories like this or visit➡️ https://go.wri.org/solutions-in-focus

25/04/2026

Intergrating permeable pavement solutions is a smart way to store rainwater and reduce flooding. This is exactly the kind of innovation we have piloted through the Water asLeverage Programme in Nakuru, where a similar green infrastructure solution has been integrated at the Nakuru Water and Sanitation Services Co. Ltd offices as part of the Sponge City approach.

If you’re in Nakuru, go check it out! We’d love to hear your thoughts. How do you see nature-based solutions like this shaping a more resilient Nakuru city?

In Netherlands, streets in some urban areas use specially designed bricks with small gaps that allow grass to grow between them. Instead of solid, heat-trapping surfaces, these permeable layouts introduce patches of greenery directly into the pavement.

The grass helps cool the surroundings by reducing heat absorption and releasing moisture into the air. As temperatures rise, these small green spaces make a noticeable difference, lowering surface heat and creating a more comfortable environment for people moving through busy streets.

Beyond cooling, the design also improves how rainwater is handled. Water can seep through the gaps instead of collecting on the surface, reducing runoff and easing pressure on drainage systems. It’s a simple integration of nature into infrastructure — showing how small changes in materials can quietly improve urban living conditions.

17/03/2026

We are pleased to see this milestone for the Water as Leverage programme in Kenya highlighted by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Kenya
Last week’s engagements in Nairobi and Nakuru brought together key stakeholders to strengthen collaboration around sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban water solutions.

This week, the Embassy participated in the💧Water as Leverage, Nakuru (WaL) High-Level Breakfast, convening financiers and development partners around a shared ambition: turning climate resilience plans into bankable investments.

This builds on the strong and ongoing partnership 🤝 between the Government of the Netherlands, the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, and the County Government of Nakuru to transform Nakuru into a resilient sponge city—enhancing water security and strengthening climate resilience across the city.

Through this trajectory, four flagship project feasibilities have been developed and are now in the final stages of technical design: the Njoro Riparian Restoration Project, the CBD Corridors Project, the Menengai Project, and the Shabaab Pilot Project.

The session brought together project partners, county and national government representatives, financiers, and investors to explore concrete financing pathways and assess eligibility for existing and emerging funding instruments.

Water as Leverage goes beyond infrastructure. It advances integrated solutions that combine climate adaptation and mitigation with social inclusion, job creation, sustainable economic growth, and biodiversity recovery. Through its “research by design” approach, WaL transforms innovative concepts into investable and inclusive urban solutions.

Nakuru is positioning itself not only as a resilient city, but as a model for climate-smart urban development in Africa.

Learn more about the WAL Approach 👇

https://english.rvo.nl/subsidies-financing/water-leverage

03/03/2026

26/02/2026

21/01/2026

Faces of Water as Leverage | Meet Bodil Boelens! 🎉😊

Hi, WaL Nakuru community! I am Bodil Boelens, and I am joining you from the Netherlands. Over the coming months, I’ll be working with the team on a range of Nature-Based Solutions that can support NAWASSCO in improving both water quantity and quality. I’m happy to begin my work on top of the strong foundation already laid in the WaL project. I am excited to contribute to the technical side of NBS, guided by the needs of local communities.

In the Netherlands, I work for Evides, a company that provides drinking and industrial water, with a background in biorefinery and process technology. I am involved in different topics, from developing technological solutions to improve our drinking water reservoirs in the Biesbosch National Park to improving nitrate removal in industrial wastewater treatment. I hope to bring both my time and knowledge to support the WaL project in Nakuru in a meaningful way.

A few fun facts about me: I love to cycle (my family was worried I would cycle to Kenia from the Netherlands), swimming, hiking in nature, dancing, and cooking. During my four months I will be here, I hope to share these interests, learn, and exchange.

Don’t hesitate to reach out with ideas or input for my project. Looking forward to connecting.