Spring water is the common source of public water supply in most rural communities of developing countries such as Kenya. The water quality and quantity may be altered due to catchments degradation. This study was carried out in Tongaren division, Nzoia River catchment. The aim of this study was to investigate and map the occurrence and distribution of springs and to determine their water quality and quantity. This study determined the spring water discharge, conductivity, turbidity, total and thermotolerant (faecal) coliforms to assess suitability and sustainability of spring water for safe drinking. Twenty‐eight springs were identified and their locations mapped using Global Positioning System (GPS) geo‐reference data. Discharge ranged from 0.1 to 3 l s−1, with some drying up during dry season. Total coliform was innumerable in most of the studied springs while thermotolerant (faecal) coliform counts occurred in eight springs, including four protected springs. This poses high risks of water‐borne diseases. The water should be filtered and boiled prior to use for drinking. Facilitation of communities enabled development of seven springs to enhance water yield and quality. This study established high potential in the communities to develop springs and utilize the spring water as alternative source of livelihoods.

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Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit are tools of trade which are available for use by environmental managers around the world. They are applied as early as possible in decisionmaking throughout the life cycle of proposed development projects and actions that may have potentially significant impacts on biophysical and socio-cultural environments. These instruments provide for individual stakeholder and community participation in screening, scoping, environmental impact identification and evaluation, prior to development of Environmental and Social Management plan. Despite the application of Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit techniques in environmental management in Kenya for the past two decades, environmental problems continue to persist as evidenced majorly by incessant flooding, drought conditions, collapsing buildings and dams. There are very high hopes in Kenya for environmental conservation and restoration following the roll out of the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) which entrenches environmental activities on three strands; the environment and its resources, the social environment and the care of environment. Competence Based Curriculum will produce environmental conscious citizens who will contribute towards making the planetary earth a better place to live in. The paper examines Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit practice in Kenya and suggests measures for better environmental management.

Water shortage is a common phenomenon in many parts of Kenya in the dry season, including the Kapseret Sub-County. However, water harvesting has seldom been practised, despite its high potential to alleviate water shortages in the dry season. This is largely influenced by a lack of access to dams and pans. The objective of this study was to identify potential dam sites for water harvesting in Kapseret Sub County, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Multiple criteria analysis and weighted overlay were performed on ArcGIS to map suitable sites for the location of dams. The multiple criteria considered in site suitability analysis were land use and land cover (LULC), slope, and proximity to streams, institutions, roads, and airports. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of 30 m resolution was downloaded from the USGS website and used to process stream network, slope, and contours. Landsat 8 satellite imagery taken on January 2022 were downloaded from the USGS website and used to generate LULC data. It was established that the Kapseret basin has moderate to highly suitable zones for dam siting, covering 74.66% of the area with only 25.34% of the land being unsuitable. Further analysis using contours identified four potential dam sites with a combined capacity of 3,436,500 m3. The study concluded that the potential for water harvesting is high in the area as significant portions of the land are generally suitable for dam siting. It was recommended that action be taken by the county and other stakeholders to develop dams in suitable zones so as to increase access to water, particularly in the dry season when there are shortages