Water as Leverage: Sponge City Nakuru

Last week, Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners, Witteveen+Bos, Bantu, and TU Delft, travelled to Kenya for the Water as Leverage: Sponge City Nakuru program. An initiative redefining urban water management in rapidly growing cities, by developing new methods to do so. A two-day local design workshop and field visits to seven key hotspots marked the kick-off of the program.

Water as Leverage

Water as Leverage, promoted by the Dutch government, is a proven framework for addressing climate and water challenges. Having successfully implemented projects in Cartagena, Semarang, Chennai, and Khulna, its first African application in Nakuru marks an important milestone in advancing water-driven urban transformations.

Taking the lead in the program in Nakuru is Dutch landscape studio and Nature-Based Solutions expert Felixx. Designing from the principle sustainable urban developments rely on integrating adaptive infrastructure with natural water cycles. Supported by a local and international consortium, including Witteveen+Bos, Bantu Design Studio, CSC Strategy & Finance, TU Delft, Planning Development Consulting Ltd., and Egerton University, this initiative presents an opportunity to reshape urban resilience through a systemic approach.

A City of Opportunities

Nakuru is a fast-growing city set within an extraordinary landscape, featuring Lake Nakuru, the Menengai Crater, and a rich agricultural environment. Beyond its natural beauty, the city’s communities share a strong ambition: to harness water and nature as fundamental resources for a resilient and thriving future. With its unique geography, Nakuru offers a compelling case for demonstrating how cities can evolve in harmony with their environment. Lake Nakuru, an ecological landmark, serves as an indicator of urban and environmental health.

Designing the Future of Water in Nakuru

The kick-off for Water as Leverage: Sponge City Nakuru began with field visits to seven key hotspots—each revealing a different facet of Nakuru’s relationship with water. From the agricultural lands of Kimunyi to the riverbank communities of Njoro and Ngosur, the city center, the slopes of Menengai, Lake Nakuru National Park, and the expanding districts of Lanet/Pipeline.

Over 80 stakeholders—including local community, RVO, UN-Habitat, VEI, the Embassy of the Netherlands, and the Nakuru County Government—collaborated to shape a collective vision for Nakuru’s water future, with a two-day local design workshop. The workshop opened with strategic commitments, followed by the introduction of Nature Kama Kujiinua (Nature as Leverage), the guiding framework of the project. A collaborative session explored Nakuru’s challenges and systemic solutions, emphasizing nature-based approaches. On the second day, discussions connected global Water as Leverage principles with local ambitions. TU Delft students presented research-based design ideas, inspiring practical solutions. The event concluded with a co-design session, where teams developed strategies for Nakuru’s key water hotspots.

A Tailor-made Commitment to Urban Sustainability

Nakuru’s rapid growth underscores the need for innovative approaches to mitigate groundwater depletion and relieve pressure on natural resources. The team’s approach, Nature Kama Kujiinua, reflects the commitment to sustainability through a Nature-Based Sponge System. This tailor-made model prioritizes water retention and management to strengthen resilience and secure long-term ecological balance. A toolbox of local Nature-Based Solutions has been designed and instead of addressing water management in a non-site specific way, research on Kenyan culture and land management was incorporated. The intended result is an innovative method for water management in Nakuru based on cultural and local Nature-Based Solutions.

What’s Next

Over the next two years all partners will work closely with Nakuru’s communities and stakeholders to refine and implement sustainable water-driven solutions. This initiative underscores water’s role in fostering urban resilience, economic growth, and environmental restoration.