• The residents say they now receive water once a week from six days a week. There is no guarantee that they will get the water.
• Water levels at Ndakaini are at 47 per cent. The dam supplies water to Nairobi residents.
Image: FILE
Residents of Nyayo Estate are upset with the dwindling water supply. They blame the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company for their woes.
Resident Caleb Atemi told the Star on the phone yesterday that tenants used to get water throughout the week since 2007.
"That has reduced from six days a week to once a week. Even so, there is no guarantee that we will get the water," he said.
Atemi said areas around their estate such as Tassia, Pipeline, Embakasi, and Mradi have water. "There must be a problem," he said.
NCWSC head of corporate affairs Mbaruku Vyakweli yesterday said he is aware of the problem at Nyayo Estate.
"I got a report yesterday [Tuesday]. We are working on the problem. Ndakaini Dam is at 47 per cent, and that is the water we are trying to distribute equally, "he said.
Vyakweli said the rationing plan will continue and he blamed drought for the situation.
In May, the company said water rationing will persist until we get long rains in the catchment areas that feed Ndakaini Dam.
Vyakweli said the water levels in the dam have not risen despite the slight rains. Ndakaini supplies more than 80 per cent of Nairobi's water.
In some estates, vendors have been cashing in on the scarcity of water and are making a killing. They are selling a 20-litre jerrycan for between Sh20 and Sh50.
With the current rationing, the water in the dam is expected to last up to October.
NCWSC supplies the city with 505,000 cubic meters of water a day, against a demand of 760,000 cubic meters per day.
Ndakaini has a 75-square-kilometre catchment area. It includes Kimakia and Gatare forests in the Aberdares. Thika, Githika and Kayuyu rivers feed the dam.
An equitable water distribution programme by NCWSC on May 24 shows that Nyayo Embakasi was to receive water on Fridays from 6pm to Saturdays 8am. The estate is also to receive water between Sundays 8am and Tuesdays at 8am.
Nyayo Embakasi, Fedha gate one and two, Avenue Park one and two, Tumaini flats, Kware Rd, Tassia Kijiji, Pipeline, Tassia Complex, Kajuju court, Church road, Standard Drive, Kwa Ndege Stage, and Solidarity street and its environs were to receive water between Wednesdays 6am -Friday at 6pm.
Old and New Donholm, Sunrise Estate, Savannah, Green Fields and Tassia were to get water on Wednesdays 6am - Fridays 6pm.