Dry taps in city as Ng'ethu treatment plant shut due to leakage

Several neighbourhoods in Nairobi will go without water on Thursday and Friday after the Ng'ethu Water Treatment Plant was shut down.

Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) Managing Director Nahashon Muguna cited a major leakage on the raw water pipeline from the Mwangu water intake for the shutdown.

“(NCWSC) would like to inform its esteemed customers that a major leakage on the raw water pipeline from Mwangu water intake along Chania River to Ng'ethu water treatment plant … will necessitate complete shutdown of Ng'ethu Water Treatment Plant on Thursday, 10 March to Friday 11 March, 2022,” Mr Muguna said.

He said the supply will be restored once repairs are made. “We request all customers in the affected areas to use water sparingly during the period of interruption.”

The entire city centre, the University of Nairobi’s main campus, the Coca-Cola factory, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, EPZ in Athi River and areas along Mombasa Road including South B, South C and their environs are affected.

The entire Industrial Area and Upper Hill, as well as areas along Juja Road such as Mulango Kubwa, Mathare, Eastleigh Airforce Base, Huruma, Kariobangi, Pangani, and Eastleigh are also affected.

During the repairs

Areas along Jogoo Road such as Maringo, Bahati and Buruburu, and those on Outer Ring Road such as Baba Dogo, Dandora, Dandora KCC factory, Umoja 1 and 2, Donholm, Fedha, Tassia, Avenue Park and Nyayo are affected.

During the repairs, areas along Kangundo Road such as Ruai, Kayole, Komarock and Njiru will also be cut off from supply.

That also applies to areas on Thika Road, including Kenya Breweries, Kenyatta University, Kahawa Barracks, Kasarani, Mwiki, Kahawa Sukari, Garden Estate and Thome.

The supply interruption also affects parts of Limuru, Lang’ata, Kikuyu and James Gichuru roads, Waiyaki Way, Riverside, Westlands, Lavington, Kilimani and Kileleshwa.

Use available water sparingly

“We appeal to our customers for indulgence and also urge them to use available water sparingly as we work (to restore) the supply,” Mr Muguna said.

In 2020, the Ng’ethu treatment plant was shut down for two days to stop the flow of untreated water into homes.

“There has been increased river flow, causing high turbidity in the raw water which is flowing slurry (semi-liquid mixture of suspended particles in water) suspected to be caused by a landslide upstream,” a statement from the company said.

In January, the plant was partially shut down to allow its engineers to repair works at the Mwagu water intake on the Chania River.

Nairobi residents have endured water rationing since April 2017, forcing most residents to turn to water from boreholes or vendors who supply the commodity at exorbitant prices.

The Ng’ethu plant serves 85 percent of Nairobi County.