This archive report was first published on 27 July 2019.
On July 26, 2019, the Water Resource Authority (WRA) warned of impending water disconnections in major Kenyan towns due to a massive Ksh.5.7 billion unpaid bill.
The affected towns include Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, Mombasa, and others, according to the WRA.
WRA Chairman Joe Mutambu expressed concern over the accrued bill, which has hindered the authority's operations.
Notorious defaulters include Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company, Coast Water Services, and Muranga Water Services.
As part of its plan to address the issue, the WRA intends to introduce 'Smart meters' to accurately determine water abstractions by all water users.
According to WRA Chairman Joe Mutambu, 'Smart meters' will be capable of measuring water abstracted and transmitting data in real-time.
Smart meter technology has been widely adopted globally, including in Kenya, where Kenya Power introduced the technology in 2014.