Dry taps await Nairobi residents as firm announces shutdown

Nairobi city residents will go without water for three days next week after the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company announced it will shut down due to a scheduled maintenance.

The water agency on Sunday announced that the disruption of water supply to the city and its environs will start on April 6 to April 8.

This comes even as the city grapple with acute water shortage following low levels at Ndakaini Dam due to prolonged drought season.

In a statement the Head of Corporate Affairs Mbaruku Vyakweli said that the interruption will involve shutting down the Mataara-Ngethu raw water pipeline to enable carry out a scheduled maintenance and repair leaks on the same pipeline.

Nairobi Water loses 10.45 per cent of its water through leakages and now targets to reach a low of 5.59 per cent through repair of leaking pipes.

“The Nairobi city water and sewerage company would like to inform its esteemed customers that there will be an interruption…this will improve on the efficiency of services to our customers,” said the statement.

The areas to be affected by the interruption includes the entire Nairobi city county, Kiambu town and part of Machakos county — Mlolongo and Athi River epz.

The water company has urged its customers to reserve and use water sparingly before and during the period of interruption.

Speaking to Nation Mr Vyakweli said that they will also revise the water scheduling timetable in the next two weeks in a bid to supply the commodity effectively.

“It was really dry. The little rain we have received has not helped as it is being swallowed by the ground unless it rains continuously the dam is still low,” said Mr Vyakweli.