Nairobi County govt to start clean-up of four polluted rivers

A polluted section of the Nairobi River. Nairobi County's Environment department has raised concerns about the pollution of four main rivers in the city and announced a plan to clean them. PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Kimori said that residential homes in Kawangware along Kirichwa River had been discharging their sewage into the river.
  • He said the clean-up exercise which started in Kawangware has seen most people apply for sewerage connection.
  • He also warned that residential buildings which discharge their sewage into the rivers will be closed down if they fail to comply.
  • He added that household water can also be recycled and re-used instead of being wasted.

Nairobi City County’s Environment department has raised concerns over the pollution of four main rivers in the city and announced a plan to clean them up.

The four main rivers – Ngong, Nairobi, Kirichwa and Mbagathi - have been turned into channels due to the huge amount of waste thrown into them.

The waste has deprived the water in the rivers of oxygen.

Speaking to journalists at City Hall on Monday, Environment executive Peter Kimori said the county had issued notices to developers and companies polluting the rivers to find alternative waste disposal sites.

Mr Kimori said residential homes in Kawangware along the Kirichwa River lack proper sewerage and had been discharging the waste into the river.

He said this has posed a health hazard to those living in the area and downstream.

“The rivers in Nairobi ceased to be rivers long ago but are now open channels collecting water in the city,” said Mr Kimori.

POLLUTERS ARRESTED

He added that over eight people have been arrested by county enforcement officers and fined for polluting the rivers by discharging waste into them.

Mr Kimori said the clean-up work that started in Kawangware has prompted more people to apply for sewerage connections from the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company.

He also warned that residential buildings that discharge their sewage into the rivers will be closed down if they fail to comply.

The county has also mapped out 278 polluters of the rivers, mainly factories in Nairobi’s industrial area.

Mr Kimori urged Nairobi residents to change the habit of wasting water and instead recycle it.

He said those operating car-wash businesses will not be licensed unless they acquire water-recycling machines.

He said the equipment used for recycling water is affordable and effective and can separate soap and mud from used water.

Mr Kimori said the water pumped in Nairobi is enough to be used in a city with a population of seven million but most of it is wasted, making it insufficient.

He added that household water can also be recycled and reused instead of being wasted.

The county is also building a tunnel from the Ndakaini dam that will improve water supply to Nairobi by 50,000 cubic meters.