MCAs have asked City Hall to carry out a survey and audit of over 3,000 commercial boreholes in Nairobi and close down those sunk without approval.
The county legislators say that some of those boreholes have been sunk on road reserves and produce water not fit for human consumption.
They now want regulations put in place to control the rampant drilling of boreholes.
Assembly water committee chairman Paul Kardos said on Monday that most illegal boreholes are drilled with the collusion of officials from Nairobi Water Company to make residents pay more for water.
“The borehole numbers are rising because of the water rationing situation in Nairobi. The people in this business are making more money by selling water which belongs to city residents,” he said.
Kardos said his Mihang’o ward has over 200 boreholes owned by one person and at least one is drilled every day.
“Why should Nairobi have commercial boreholes while we have water pipes almost in every estate?” he asked.
According to Umoja 1 ward rep Mark Mugambi, almost all flats built in Innercore area have boreholes, a situation that has interfered with water supply in the area.
His counterpart from Kware ward Rose Kula questioned why the county was allowing water vendors to ‘extort’ money from residents while they know most boreholes have been drilled without approval.
“Why is this happening right under the watch of the sub-county officers? The water vendors are selling the water from the boreholes to residents with a 20-litre jerrican going for as high as Sh50, isn’t this extortion?” she asked.
County director for water and sanitation Mario Kainga said that only 20 boreholes have been approved by the county government since 2018.
Environment and water chief executive Vesca Kangogo said the county government cannot fully control the mushrooming of commercial boreholes as their ‘hands are tied’.
She said that the county is only mandated to give the ‘no objection’ document after approvals from Water Resources Management Authority and the National Environment Management Authority.
“Agencies like Warma and Nema are responsible for giving approvals. The county doesn’t have a clear role there,” Kangogo said.
She accused the agencies of not communicating to the county on their findings.
Some of the required documents for Warma and Nema to approve borehole drilling include ownership documents such as title deeds and land (LR) numbers.
Under the Water Act 2016, Warma is the body which grants approvals for sinking boreholes.
Nairobi Water Company boss Nahashon Muguna said that there are high levels of fluorine in water coming from the boreholes which is harmful for human consumption.
He also said that it would cost millions to treat the water through reverse osmosis.
“Flouride levels in Eastlands boreholes are very high at over 15mm per litre against a required level of 0.5mm per litre,” Muguna said.
He further explained that the reason why the county has not taken over most of the boreholes drilled by the government in Eastlands is that the water has to be tested first.
Muguna said that despite Nairobi water being the only approved water undertaker in Nairobi, money for boreholes drilling approval goes to Warma.
(edited by O. Owino)
