This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic grips Nairobi, the city's residents are facing a new crisis: a severe water shortage. The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) shut down its main water treatment plant at Ng'ethu on May 1, citing a two-day interruption in water supply. However, the shutdown has now turned into a nightmare for most residents, with the promise to restore normal water supply still elusive.
Days have turned into weeks, and the biting water shortage in Nairobi shows no signs of abating. The situation is further complicated by the shutdown of the Sasumua Dam treatment works, with no specific date given for its return to operation.
Worryingly, even areas that have not had water problems before are now being affected. Residents in Lang'ata and Kibera are still grappling with the lack of water in their taps, forced to rely on water vendors. In Mukuru kwa Reuben, residents lament the high cost of water, as they have to purchase it from vendors in the area.
According to Nairobi Water's acting Managing Director, Engineer Nahashon Muguna, areas supplied by Sasumua treatment plant will still experience water problems for between two and three weeks. The reason is the ongoing relay of new water pipes to a new route not prone to landslides.
“The materials are yet to be transported to the site to begin the work. This will take between 14 and 21 days to be complete,” said Mr Muguna.
For city residents east of Uhuru Highway from the CBD to Eastlands supplied by Ng'ethu waterworks, the wait is only up to mid-week. The plant is currently able to take up more water, with clogging intake and high water turbidity reduced.
Engineer Muguna said the current problem is ensuring the stability of the system to maintain production for 24 hours. Water production at the plant has gradually increased to 18,300 cubic meters per hour against water intake of 19,200 cubic meters per hour over the last few days.
“If we can sustain the current production for 24 hours, then some of the problems we have been having in Eastlands will go down by next week,” said Mr Muguna.
Together, the two water treatment plants supply 96.6 percent of water used by Nairobi residents. Ng'ethu accounts for 85 percent, while Sasumua accounts for 11.6 percent. The plants supply 396,016 cubic meters and 61,000 cubic meters of water daily, respectively.
However, Nairobi has been experiencing water rationing since April 2017, with water demand continuing to outweigh supply. The demand has grown to more than 810,000 cubic meters daily against an installed production of 525,600 cubic meters of water daily.
Engineer Muguna denied claims that the shortage of water in Nairobi is always artificial and caused by water cartels who divert water from the company to sell to residents through water bowsers.
