Several residential areas in Nairobi will experience water shortage, the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company has announced.

According to the utility firm, the shortage has been occasioned by floods, which have swept away water supply pipelines.

Also, the company attributes the shortage to its production capacity of 525.6 million litres per day against a daily demand of 900 million litres.

“Nairobi City County has four sources of water namely, Kikuyu Springs, Ruiru, Sasumua and Thika Dams. The water is treated in Ngethu, Sasumua, Kabete Water Treatment Works and Kikuyu Springs. The four have an installed maximum daily production capacity of 440 million, 61 million, 20 million and 4 million litres respectively. This totals the daily maximum design production capacity of 525.6 million litres per day against a daily demand of 900 million litres,” the company stated.

“Our water supply to the City is therefore limited to the installed production capacity. This means that even when we have our dams overflowing, the water supply will remain constant- We cannot go beyond the installed production capacity.”

The company has announced water rationing through its Equitable Water Distribution Program, which will affect several parts of the city.

Nairobi estates to be affected

Among the areas affected include Fedha 1 Estate, Infinity Estate on Kagundo Road, Tumaini Estate, the whole of Tassia, Avenue Park 1 & 2 Estates, Nyayo Embakasi Estate, Kware Road area, Kwa Ndege, Lower Plot 10, Lexo and surrounding areas, Ngomongo, Korogocho and Matopeni-Kayole.

Other areas include Brookside Grove Westlands, Wangapala and Iregi Roads – Parklands, Cotton Road and Dennis Pritt Road – Kilimani, Chieko in Kasarani, Kamiti Road near Jacaranda, Kahawa Barraks and Kenyatta University.

“We have to continue rationing water in Nairobi despite the heavy rainfall. This is done through our Equitable Water Distribution Program whose purpose is to enable each customer receive water at least once a week.”

“Further, the ongoing flooding in the City has washed away some of the water supply pipelines affecting our services hence causing certain areas to receive water supply with low pressures. We urge all our customers to use the available water sparingly.”

Weather outlook

The Kenya Meteorological Department has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in 37 counties including Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu, Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia, Kisumu, Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, Siaya, Homabay, Nyeri, Muranga, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Nyandarua, Machakos, Kitui, Makueni, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Nandi, Bomet, Narok, Kajiado, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Laikipia, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Baringo and Nairobi.

As a result of the rains, flooding is expected in low-lying areas, riparian areas and urban areas while landslides/mudslides may occur in areas with steep slopes, escarpments and ravines.

In the last 24 hours, Marsabit, Tharaka Nithi, Baringo, Kisumu, Nakuru, Machakos, Uasin Gishu, Busia, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Trans Nzoia, Nairobi, Wajir, Mandera, Bomet, Kajiado, Embu and Nyeri Counties have suffered from flooding.

Landslides and mudslides occurred in West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kericho and Makueni Counties.

The weatherman predicts that most parts of the North West (Turkana, Samburu, Marsabit), North Eastern (Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera), and South Eastern (Taita, Taveta, Tana River) will be generally dry.