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Parts of Nairobi to go without water supply for two days

By Hilary Kimuyu December 20th, 2021 1 min read

Several neighbourhoods in Nairobi will go without water on Tuesday and Wednesday as a result a partial shutdown of the Ngethu Water Treatment Plant.

“This (shut down) will facilitate interconnection of the new Kiambu-Embakasi pipeline to the Ngethu pipeline at Kiambu reservoir in readiness to transfer water to Embakasi areas once the Northern tunnel project is completed,” Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) Managing Director Nahashon Muguna explained on Monday.

The shut down will affect the entire city centre, University of Nairobi main campus, Coca Cola Factory, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, EPZ- Athi river and Mlolongo area. Langata road, Kibra, James Gichuru road, riverside, Westlands, Lavington, Kilimani and Kileleshwa will also be affected.

“We appeal to our customers for indulgence and also urge them to use available water sparingly as we work towards restoring the supply,” Muguna said.

This year alone, city residents have had to endure at least six water supply interruptions by the urban water utility firm in February, May, June, July and September – all due to infrastructural upgrades.

Nairobi has been experiencing water rationing since April 2017, forcing most residents to turn to water from boreholes or those supplied at exorbitant prices by water vendors.

Only about 50 per cent of Nairobi residents have direct access to piped water while the rest depend on water from kiosks, vendors, illegal connections, or from boreholes.

But even those with direct access to piped water, only 40 per cent of this lot receive water 24 hours per day with the rest for only 11 hours on average.