Sakaja: Why Nairobi is in 5-day water disruption in over 100 estates, bear with us
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja at his office in Nairobi.
Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja on Saturday explained the five-day water disruption in the capital, as the city undertakes significant infrastructure upgrades.
Mr Sakaja explained that the planned works are essential to improve the city’s water supply system, although it will cause temporary shortages for millions of residents. The upgrade is part of ongoing efforts to enhance the reliability and capacity of the city's water network.
The governor acknowledged the inconvenience but emphasized the importance of the project in addressing the city’s persistent water challenges.
“We understand the disruption this will cause to residents and businesses, but these works are critical to securing Nairobi’s water future. Once completed, the upgrades will significantly enhance supply capacity and reliability across the city,” said Mr Sakaja.
He added that the County Government is working hard to ensure the project is completed on schedule and that normal water supply resumes promptly.
On Thursday, the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company announced a 5-day supply interruption to over 100 estates from April 6 as it concludes reservoir works. The disruption will affect parts of the Nairobi CBD, Ngara, Lavington, Kilimani, Westlands, Kibera, Industrial Area, Kinoo and many more.
It said that the Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) will temporarily shut down the Northern Collector Tunnel 1 (NCT1) system. The shutdown is aimed at facilitating the completion of essential works linking the Kigoro Water Treatment Plant to the Gigiri and Kabete reservoirs.
Nairobi Water announced a 5-day supply interruption to over 100 estates from April 6.
Water utility officials have urged residents and businesses to use available water sparingly during the period, noting that the works are necessary to improve long-term water supply reliability across the capital.
Residents have been advised to store adequate water in advance and adopt conservation measures throughout the shutdown period. Authorities have also indicated that water bowsers may be deployed to serve critical institutions such as hospitals and schools where necessary.
While the supply disruption is due to pending reservoir works, previous disruptions in the city this year were mainly caused by flood damage to pipelines and infrastructure. This was worsened by long-standing issues such as ageing systems, rapid population growth and dependence on few water sources.
Nairobi residents have experienced repeated and frustrating water disruptions, even during periods of heavy rainfall. While this may seem contradictory at first glance, the crisis reveals deeper structural problems in the city’s water system, problems that have only been exacerbated by flooding.
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