The Relationship between Monitoring and Evaluation Performance Measurement and Sustainability of Water Projects in Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, Kenya

Eunice Nyambura Warorua, Dr. Emmy Rotich, PhD

Abstract


Effective monitoring and evaluation performance measurement is critical to the sustainability of water projects as it provides timely information for tracking progress, evaluating outcomes, and informing corrective actions throughout the project lifecycle. Despite substantial investments in water infrastructure, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company continues to face persistent sustainability challenges and the need for effective performance measurement to improve project outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between performance measurement and the sustainability of water projects at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), Nairobi, Kenya. The study was anchored on Information Theory, which explains how accurate, timely, and reliable information generated through performance measurement supports evidence-based decision-making and enhances project sustainability. The study adopted a descriptive research design employing a quantitative approach. Data were collected from 83 respondents drawn through a census of 17 completed water projects at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and simple regression analysis. Regression analysis further established that monitoring and evaluation performance measurement had a strong positive and statistically significant influence on project sustainability (Beta = 0.880, t = 16.66, p < 0.001), explaining 77.4% of the variation in project sustainability (R² = 0.774), indicating that improved performance measurement enhances the long-term sustainability of water projects. The study recommends that the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company strengthen performance measurement systems by institutionalizing regular performance monitoring, enhancing feedback mechanisms, and integrating evaluation findings into project planning to improve the long-term sustainability of water projects.

Keywords: Performance measurement, Monitoring and evaluation, Project sustainability, Water projects, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company


Full Text:

PDF

References


African Development Bank. (2020). Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for AfDB-Funded Projects. https://www.afdb.org

Amponsah, P. E. (2022). The role of monitoring and evaluation in enhancing development effectiveness. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(13), 150-155.

Bongei, M (2021). Monitoring and Evaluation Techniques and Sustainability of water projects in Bomet county, Kenya.

Chepkoech, W. (2023). An assessment of the monitoring and evaluation system of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (Master's thesis, University of Nairobi). https://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/166752

Chinnasamy, P., & Gupta, M. (2024). Participatory approaches for water monitoring and harvesting: Case study from India. Cambridge Prisms: Water, 2, e2. https://doi.org/10.1017/wat.2023.18

Cover, T. M., & Thomas, J. A. (2006). Elements of information theory (2nd ed.). Wiley-Interscience.

Creswell, J. W. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

European Commission. (2020). European Structural and Investment Funds: Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. https://commission.europa.eu/

FAO. (2020). Assessing the sustainability of agriculture projects: A global perspective. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http://www.fao.org/publications

Floridi, L. (2010). Information: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press. (OUCI)

Government of Kenya. (2020). National Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation System (NIMES): National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy. Ministry of Planning and National Development.

Hilgers, T. (2020). Evaluating development effectiveness: The impact of monitoring and evaluation in development. Evaluation, 20(4), 478-494.

Kimani, W., & Njagi, R. (2022). Performance measurement and sustainability of agricultural projects in Kirinyaga County. African Journal of Agricultural Economics, 9(1), 45-59.

Kimani, W., & Njoki, M. (2022). The influence of monitoring and evaluation visits on the sustainability of agricultural projects in Murang’a County. Journal of Project Evaluation and Sustainability, 12(2), 123-138.

Mgoba, S. A., & Kabote, S. J. (2020). Effectiveness of participatory monitoring and evaluation on achievement of community-based water projects in Tanzania. Applied Water Science, 10(8), 200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-020-01273-5

Mugenda, O. M., & Mugenda, A. G. (2003). Research methods: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. Acts Press.

Muriithi, G., & Mwangi, J. (2020). Monitoring and evaluation practices and their influence on project sustainability in Kenya. East African Journal of Development Studies, 12(2), 78-93.

Njuguna, P. N. (2022). Influence of project design orientations on sustainability of Water and Sanitation Output-Based Aid Project by Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, Kenya (Master's thesis, University of Nairobi). https://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/153198

OECD-DAC. (2021). Monitoring and evaluation for development results: Concepts and applications. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/dac/evaluation

Omondi, T., & Kariuki, J. (2021). The impact of surveys on the sustainability of water projects in Kilifi County. Coastal Journal of Water Resources Management, 6(3), 145-160.

Shannon, C. E., & Weaver, W. (1949). The mathematical theory of communication. University of Illinois Press.

UN. (2024). World Water Development. Retrieved from https://www.unwater.org/publications/un-world-water-development-report-2024

UNDP. (2020). Water Scarcity in Kenya: The Growing Crisis. Retrieved from undp.org. - Google Search. https://www.google.com/search?

United States Agency for International Development (USAID). (2020). ADS Chapter 201: Program Cycle Operational Policy. USAID.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Eunice Nyambura Warorua

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.