Treating water from the dams reason for the rationing

NAIROBI, KENYA, Nov 28-Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company explains reason as to why they are still rationing water while dams are full and overflowing.

Through a statement , they said that they have to treat water before getting to the taps while the treatment plants have a capacity of 525.6 Million liters a day compared to the daily demand of 870 Million liters of water.

“We have to treat water from the dams before it gets to our taps. The water has to go through our water treatment plants that have a maximum of 525.6 Million liters per day, against a demand of 870Million liters,” quoted the statement.

The Nairobi city council has four sources of water thus, Kikuyu springs,Ruiru, Sasumua and Thika dams.The water is treated in Ngethu,Sasumua,Kabete and Kikuyu water treatment works.

The four have maximum production capacity of 440 Million,61 Million,20Million and 4 Million and four respectively.Therefore,the supply can not go past the production capacity even if the dams overflow and the water rationing will still continue despite the heavy rains.

“To reduce the gap of water demand and supply in the city,the National and county Governments through Athi water works Development Agency(AWWDA) are developing the Northern collector Tunnel phase 1 water project which is supposed to be commissioned on March 2024 and is expected to deliver an additional 140 Million litres water to the city per day,” quoted the statement

The Karemenu dam water project that is being developed by AWWDA is in the final stages and is supposed to supply 23 Million of water per day by the end of 2023.

Nairobi city county and the National Government have further secured funding to a tune of $100 for the development of the Northern collector Tunnel Phase ii project in Murang’a to bring an additional 120 Million litres of water by 2026.

Maragua IV dam is at the final stage of procurement and once completed by 2028 will increase water liters supply by 130 Million of water per day.