Residents of Nairobi and parts of Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos counties should prepare for longer spells without piped water. Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company cut production by 35 per cent on Monday, November 9, citing falling levels at Thika/Ndakaini Dam
In a public notice, the utility said the reduction took effect immediately at its Ngethu and Kigoro water treatment plants. "Customers may experience extended rationing periods," it said. The company issued the notice on its X account and referred customers to a poster for more details.
The notice did not say how long the longer rationing would last, and no new schedule had been published. Nairobi Water has also not given a date for restoring normal production.
The company said the dam, the principal source of water for Nairobi and its surroundings, has recorded a significant drop in storage after below-average rainfall in its catchment area. Reduced inflows, it said, made a temporary cut in the amount of water drawn from the dam necessary to preserve available reserves and keep supplies going over the coming months.
Nairobi Water said it is monitoring dam levels and weather conditions. It will review production volumes periodically, depending on how the reservoir recovers and how much water flows in. Any easing of the restrictions will therefore depend on the rains and the dam's recovery.
Because the dam is the main source, a fall in storage is a concern for households and businesses across the areas it serves. Rationing here means reduced or interrupted piped supply, because the water available cannot meet normal demand. For households, that means longer gaps between supplies.
Customers of seven water providers will feel the cut. They are Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, Githunguri Water and Sanitation Company, Kiambu Water and Sanitation Company, Karuri Water and Sanitation Company, Mavoko Water and Sewerage Company, Oloolaiser Water and Sewerage Company and Olkejuado Water and Sewerage Company
Together, these providers serve customers in Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado counties, according to reports by KBC and Kenya Today. Residents who depend on the affected plants should expect a revised and tighter supply schedule.
The production cut is separate from a planned 24-hour supply interruption that the company announced earlier for Nairobi residents, KBC reported. The utility acknowledged the inconvenience the reduced production may cause and appealed to customers for cooperation.
The utility has urged customers to conserve. "Customers are encouraged to use available water prudently," the notice said. Those seeking more information can call the toll-free line 0800 724366 or email info@nairobiwater.co.ke.
Several questions are still open. It is not clear how much longer rationing periods will be in each area. It is also not clear when revised schedules will be published, or whether rainfall will let the dam recover. Nairobi Water has said only that production will be reviewed periodically.
The cut comes two weeks after the Nation reported, on October 26, that parts of Nairobi would go without water for three days. For residents of the affected areas, the latest notice suggests the gaps between supplies are likely to grow until the dam's levels improve.
