Water Rationing Continues in Nairobi Despite Dam Overflow

Despite the recent overflowing of dams across the country due to heavy rains, Nairobi residents will continue to face water rationing, as announced by the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Ltd (NCWSC) on May 5.

Engineer Nahason Muguna, the Managing Director, stated that water rationing will persist as the company focuses on treating the still limited water supply.

Muguna explained that despite dams like Kikuyu Springs, Ruiru, Sasuma, and Thika Dam overflowing, the production capacity of the county's treatment plants remains constrained.

“Our water supply to the city is limited to the installed production capacity. This means that even if our dams overflow, the water supply will remain constant. We cannot go beyond the installed production capacity,” he clarified.

The treatment plants, including Ngethu, Sasumua, Kabete, and Kikuyu Water Treatment Works, have a combined installed maximum daily production capacity of 525.6 million liters, facing a demand of 900 million liters.

Due to ongoing flooding in the city, some water supply pipes have been washed away, affecting services in areas such as Fedha 1 Estate, Infinity Estate on Kangundo Road, Tumaini Estate, and others.

To bridge the gap between demand and supply, the National and County governments are working on water projects like the Northern Collector Tunnel Phase I and the Karemenu Dam Project, aiming to deliver additional water to the city.

However, as the city grapples with water shortages, ongoing floods have claimed lives and displaced thousands, highlighting the challenges faced by Nairobi's water management amidst unpredictable weather patterns.