Water agency reveals ambitious plan to curb shortage in City
What you need to know:
- Speaking to Nation.co.ke the company’s managing director Philip Gichuki said that they are ensuring that all boreholes drilled by the government are operational and will be included in the system to supply water.
- Ndakaini dam which provides the bulk of Nairobi water has only 45 per cent of its normal levels and with the rains not expected until April, the dam cannot sustain supply of enough water to the city residents.
- He added that the water company has also ensured a team is in place to monitor the effect of water shortage and to also ensure that water reaches the areas as rationed.
Water shortage in the city could be a thing of the past as the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company seeks alternative sources apart from rain water.
Today, the company is rationing water supply to city residents following poor rains experienced last year.
Speaking to Nation.co.ke the company’s managing director Philip Gichuki said that they are ensuring that all boreholes drilled by the government are operational and will be included in the system to supply water.
“We will first ensure that all the boreholes that were drilled by the government are operational and we have put them in the system to boost water supply,” said Eng Gichuki.
He said that they have also asked the national government to drill 40 more boreholes to reduce water stress especially in the Eastern part of the city — in Kamulu, Ruai and Airport — where they can develop large diameter boreholes which he said “will be used to draw large volumes of water.”
He said that physical study is being carried out to ascertain how best the ground water is safe for human consumption.
On the controversial Murang’a Water tunnel, he said that it is 20 per cent complete and that it is expected to be complete.
“When they close the first river, they will develop the intake work so we can utilize that water in Ndakaini dam and it will go a long way to improve water supply in the city,” said Eng Gichuki.
Ndakaini dam which provides the bulk of Nairobi water has only 45 per cent of its normal levels and with the rains not expected until April, the dam cannot sustain supply of enough water to the city residents.
He added that the water company has also ensured a team is in place to monitor the effect of water shortage and to also ensure that water reaches the areas as rationed.
Eng Gichuki said that the team is also tasked with ensuring there are no waterborne disease outbreaks and that hospitals and informal settlements have adequate water supply.
There will be water rationing updates every fortnight so as to guarantee residents of sufficient water for use.
He reiterated that all car wash businesses that get water from the agency will remain closed.
“Any car wash that is getting water from our network must be closed. They can recycle water or get other sources of water…whatever they can do but not from our system,” he said.
However, he said, the agency has increased water production in Ruiru Dam in Kiambu County which supplies four per cent.
