Water rationing inevitable, County Hall warns
There are no two ways about an impending water rationing plan, County Hall has said.
County government executive member for Water and Environment John Gakuo on Sunday advised Nairobians to prepare for dry taps.
Mr Gakuo said water catchments in Murang’a and Nyandarua counties, the sources of much of Nairobi’s water, were hit by delay of the short rains.
“This will affect water supply in the city. However, the effect has been distributed such that no estate will experience prolonged dry taps,” said Mr Gakuo.
He said his department had considered the option of exploiting ground water by drilling boreholes.
“We can no longer rely on rain water,” he explained.
The government had drilled several boreholes in 2009 in areas such as Kahawa West.
Mr Gakuo however said the cost of pumping water from was expensive.
“The cost would be 18 per cent of all income generated by such water. Energy costs in Nairobi are very high,” he pointed out.
Mr Gakuo was responding to complaints by residents about some estates that are already experiencing rationing.
Among the areas most affected are Roysambu, Tena, Donholm, Mathare North, Kahawa West, Kileleshwa and Kilimani.