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Return of water rationing? Nairobi City firm announces new distribution plan
Water vendors fill up their jerricans with water for sale at Shauri Moyo estate in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- The water firm’s chairperson Arnold Karanja clarified that the move is not strictly rationing.
- The company says the program is meant to ensure equitable distribution across the city.
The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company has issued a notice warning customers across the city of water rationing throughout the month of June.
In a newspaper notice published on Tuesday, the company announced that all regions would be affected by the distribution adjustments.
However, the water firm’s chairperson Arnold Karanja clarified that the move is not strictly rationing.
“It is a program encompassing other areas which were not receiving water, such as Utawala among others,” Mr Karanja told the Nation.
The company’s Managing Director Nahashon Muguna added that the company has enough water and the program is meant to ensure equitable distribution across the city.
The notice indicates only a few locations including key institutions and surrounding areas will continue receiving water daily. They include the University of Nairobi and customers along Mamlaka line, Kenyatta Hospital and Valley Road, Daystar University and its environs, Upperhill areas of Matumbato, Kiambere, Masaba areas and Kenya Road.
Others are Elgon Road, Gikomba Market, Pumwani Hospital, Ngara area, Forest road, Waruku and its environs, Kenyatta University, Kahawa Barracks, Embakasi Barracks among other areas.
The normal distribution of water will affect several parts of Lavington, Kileleshwa, Kilimani, Langata areas, Karen, Embakasi, Roysambu, Westlands, Kasarani as well as Kabete.
Karen residents living around Bogani East road, Mukoma road, Ndovu road, Swara road, and its environs will be receiving water on Thursdays afternoon to Mondays afternoon.
The areas which will be affected by the county equitable water distribution includes Riverside (Chiromo to Prime Bank, which will be receiving the water on Monday noon to Friday noon.
Ring road to Kirichwa road in Riverside will be receiving water from Tuesday noon to Thursday noon, while Riverside lane to Strathmore School will receive water from Saturday noon to Monday noon.
This come amid announcement from the county of a partial operation of the much-awaited Northern Water Collector Tunnel that is expected to bring additional 140 million liters of water daily once completed.
In March this year, Mr Karanja announced that the residents of Utawala area were getting water twice a week, becoming the first beneficiaries of water from the Northern Collector.
“Not all estates have been connected to water pipes, but we are doing everything to complete the process. Those who are already connected are getting water for the first time. Our teams are on the ground, and you can always get in touch with them,” Mr Karanja said after touring the area.
Some of the estates that received piped water after many years in Utawala included Summit Court, Swan Villa, Olympia Estate, Rubis, and Ridgeway.
