State House to be hit with water shortage; among ten other places in Nairobi that will lack water services

Cases of acute water shortages in Nairobi on the rise in recent years despite heavy rains

The Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company has listed over 10 places in the city that will face water supply interruption from Thursday, May 6 at 6:00am to Friday, May 7 at 6:00am.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, May 4, the water supplier said State House and other crucial government departments would be affected by the interruption occasioned by the repair of the Sasumua treated water transmission pipeline located in Aberdare Forest.

State House Nairobi Kenya | Photo Courtesy

The company also noted its pipeline along Waiyaki Way would be relocated due to the ongoing construction of the highway.

“The shutdown will facilitate repair of the Sasumua treated water transmission pipeline at the Aberdare forest and the interconnection of the Kabete Reservoirs outlet pipes with the relocated distribution pipeline along Waiyaki Way at the Communication Authority Headquarters due to the ongoing construction of Waiyaki Way – Rironi road.

Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC)
Nahashon Muguna, the head of the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), appeared on national television recently and expressed serious concerns about the pace of improvements to the water supply in the face of a rapidly growing population over the past few decades.

In 1990, more than 90% of the population in Kenya’s urban areas had access to clean water, according to the United Nations.

Nairobi City Water Sewage Company | Photo Courtesy

Now, it is estimated that just 50% of Nairobi’s four and a half million residents have direct access to piped water.

Many residents obtain water from kiosks, vendors, and illegal connections.

Since 2017 a system of rationing has been in place.

Different areas of the city receive water on specific days of the week, some for a few days and others for just a few hours.

“What can resolve problems of water supply in the city is the development of new water sources,” says Mr. Muguna.

“The water we are using was supposed to serve the population of the city only up to the year 2000.”

Projects are under way to expand local dam capacity and construct a new water transfer tunnel. Some of this extra capacity is due for completion next year.

Mr. Muguna says these projects were due to be finished more than a decade ago but faced problems in raising the finance.