• Nairobi City Water currently produces 525,000 cubic metres per day against a demand of 850 million litres, leaving a shortfall of 325 million litres.
• Out of the water supplied, 300,000 cubic metres were being lost daily through leaks, also known as non-revenue water.
Image: FILE
Nairobi residents are assured of getting enough water as dams supplying the city are full to the brim.
The official in charge of Ndakaini dam, Job Kihamba, said there is enough water to supply the city for months.
He said Sasamua, Ndakaini and Ruiru dams are full.
“We had a lot of rain and the three dams are overflowing. Ndakaini is 70 million cubic metres,” Kihamba said on the phone.
Ndakaini dam can store 70 billion litres at full capacity.
The facility, situated in Murang'a county, is the main supplier of water to Nairobi, which has a population of 4,397,073 people, according to the 2019 census.
Nairobi City Water and Sewage Company produces 525,000 cubic metres per day against a demand of 850 million litres, leaving a shortfall of 325 million litres.
Out of the water supplied, 300,000 cubic metres were being lost daily through leaks.
The government has, in the recent past, been putting in place measures to end illegal connections.
Last year, the Ministry of Water launched a three-month operation that was aimed at curbing illegal connections.
The operation, known as Linda Maji, Lipa Maji, was also meant to secure the infrastructure supplying water to residents.
A number of illegal water pipes were removed, in an exercise that was overseen by officials from the ministry, the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company and the Water Police Unit.
In Kibera, the NCWSC has put concrete along the 1.2km main pipe serving the area.
The line serves Lang'ata, High Rise, Ngei and some parts of Kibera.
Along the line, residents have been illegally tapping into it.
During the crackdown, 108 people were arrested in Nairobi for illegal connections.
Nairobi, according to the water master plan, will require 1.2 billion litres daily by 2035.
The city's daily supply comes from four main sources-Kikuyu Springs, Ruiru 1 Dam, Sasumua Dam, Ndakaini Dam and Ng'ethu.
Kihamba said Sasamua has 15.9 million cubic metres of water, while Ruiru has 2.98 million cubic metres.
He said the capacity to supply more water to the city has been hampered by a failure to expand water infrastructure.
Early last year, the government formed a specialised police unit to curb the rising cases of vandalism and theft of water supply and sanitation infrastructure.
The Water Police Unit comprises officers drawn from the Administration Police Service.
To actualise the move, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki announced the immediate designation of officers to state water management and supply under the category of critical infrastructure sectors.
“Effective this month, water infrastructure and water reservoirs as part of critical infrastructure that falls under the Protected Areas Act (Cap. 204), which provides for procedures of removal of persons who might be found in those places without authorisation,” he said.
This warrants special protection of all storage and supply assets, systems and networks owned and operated by the eight Water Works Development Agencies across the country.
Kindiki said numerous failed attacks targeted at water facilities and attempts by criminals seeking to access the infrastructure, which informed the decision to establish a dedicated team to guard against any compromise on the safety and supply to consumers.