• This expansion is part of a broader initiative to modernize the city’s sewer system.
• Several other areas in Nairobi are also expected to be included in the expansion program, ensuring that the city's infrastructure keeps pace with its dynamic growth.
Authorities have started fixing ageing sewer lines in Nairobi as part of a wider plan for the city to regain its lost glory.
The state has threatened tough measures against people found guilty of polluting the Nairobi River.
On Wednesday, Environment CS Aden Duale urged the National Environment Management Authority to work closely with the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company to stop raw sewers from spilling into rivers.
"Nema must enforce the law to ensure the environment is protected and safeguarded,” Duale said when he made his inaugural visit to Nema headquarters, accompanied by PS Festus Ng'eno.
The CS met with the board of directors, management and staff. Critical issues affecting the Authority were discussed. He vowed to deal firmly with those polluting the Nairobi River.
“The county government of Nairobi, industries and individuals must take responsibility,” he said.
He said Nairobi is an environmental capital hosting the United Nations Environment Programme and as such, it must be clean.
Duale said he is ready and willing to pick up from where the late former Environment Minister John Michuki left. Michuki was praised for being firm.
On August 8, Governor Johnson Sakaja said the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company would expand the sewer line, adding that the move was in response to the rapidly growing population in Nairobi.
The facelift will affect several estates, including Makongeni, East Leigh, and Kawangware.
The population has been increasing, putting pressure on the ageing sewer line.
The 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census results say the city’s population increased from 3,138,369 in 2009 to 4,397,073 in 2019 with 2,192,452 (49.9%) being male, 2,204,376 (50.1%) being female and 245 (0.006%) being intersex.
The county had 1,506,888 households and an average household size of 2.9 per cent.
NWSC also has plans to extend the sewer lines within Nairobi’s Central Business District, including around the Supreme Court area.
This expansion is part of a broader initiative to modernize the city’s sewer system.
Several other areas in Nairobi are also expected to be included in the expansion program, ensuring that the city's infrastructure keeps pace with its dynamic growth.
Nema has been citing dysfunctional sewer systems and illegal dumpsites as some of the main challenges within the Nairobi River basin.
Director General Mamo Mamo recently told the Star that the authority has identified four points of discharge that were to be fixed in the next 24 hours including City Park, Kenyatta National Hospital, Kirichwa Kubwa and Mathare River.
The Nairobi Water Company was to do the work. “If they are not going to fix them, then we will take appropriate enforcement actions like arresting and arraigning them in a court of law.”
Mamo promised to audit all the broken sewers for action, adding that a restoration order had been given to map out all discharge points.
The Nairobi River Commission is working with government other government agencies and the county governments of Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, Machakos and Makueni to clean up the heavily polluted river.
The commission's mandate has 10 thematic areas, namely: catchment reclamation and protection, riparian reclamation and beautification, reduction of waste (solid, industrial, institutional waste and sewerage); people and social (community engagement) as well as drainage and hydrology.
NRC is also working with the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Athi Water Works Development Agency and the Nairobi City county government towards the expansion of the sewer network to reduce sewage disposal into the rivers.
It has engaged NGOs and other stakeholders who have been working along the rivers.
The commission needs approximately Sh22 billion to address solid waste, sewerage and industrial waste challenges.
This is in addition to developing the necessary infrastructure and addressing catchment protection and riparian mapping.
More than Sh900 million is needed to tackle solid waste in Nairobi; Kiambu (Sh486 million), Kajiado (Sh516 million), Machakos (Sh647 million), and Makueni (Sh433 million).
To address sewerage in Nairobi, Sh964 million is needed.
For Kiambu, it is Sh2 billion, Kajiado Sh725 million, Machakos Sh304 million, and Makueni Sh450 million.
The action plan also shows that geo-spatial-riparian mapping needs Sh62 million, drainage and hydrology Sh3 billion, catchment protection and restoration Sh9 billion and industrial and institutional waste management needs Sh11 million.
Other resources needed include commutation and community engagement (Sh30 million), employment of at least 1,000 youth (Sh45 million), a multi-agency operations centre (Sh20 million), and multi-agency or stakeholder situational analysis (Sh30 million).