• Ndakaini Dam, the main water supplier for the city, is only 45 per cent full
• Some of the rivers are recharging water from the dam due to changing weather patterns
Water rationing in Nairobi might become a major water crisis unless several corrective measures are urgently undertaken.
These measures include fixing and maintenance of the crumbling water infrastructure, re-usage of water and preservation of rivers and catchment areas.
As of yesterday, Ndakaini Dam, the city's main water supplier, was 45 per cent full. This is 31 million cubic metres of water, according to the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company.
The reservoir, which is 65 metres high and 2,041 metres above sea level, has a storage capacity of 70 million cubic metres.
It has a catchment area of 75 square kilometres, including Kimakia and Gatare forests in the Aberdare Ranges.
The main rivers draining into the dam from are Thika, Githika, and Kayuyu.
Some of the rivers recharge due to changing weather patterns. This adversely affects the dam's water level.
The severity of water rationing in the city will depend on weather patterns, the NCWSC corporate affairs boss Mbaruku Vyakweli said yesterday.
“We often sit with the technical team and look at the situation. We decide if there is a need to adjust rationing downwards or upwards,” Vyakweli said.
The minimum rationing period remains two days.
Already, some estates are experiencing severe shortages. Water vendors in those areas selling a 20-litre jerrican for between Sh20 and Sh50.
The dilapidated water pipes are a major reason for the shortage. It is estimated that the city loses non-revenue water valued at Sh3.7 billion per year due to broken pipes, leakage and vandalism as well as illegal connection by cartels.
This is the equivalent of 40 per cent of the total water supply.
Non-revenue water is water that is produced but 'lost' through leakage or theft before it reaches the customer.
The Water and Sanitation Bill, 2018, says non-revenue water is caused by visible and underground leakages, poor quality pipes and dilapidated infrastructure.
Poor commercial practices and weak management of water service utilities have also been blamed for water loss.
The 2017-18 impact report released recently by the Water Services Regulatory Board (Wasreb) said the losses, which fall under non-revenue water, could be massive.
Despite efforts to fix the problems, the level of non-revenue water has remained at between 41 per cent and 47 per cent in the past 10 years.
“At the current rate average of non-revenue water of 41 per cent and the sector turnover of Sh20 billion against a sector benchmark of 20 per cent, ... the sector is losing about Sh7 billion,” the 11th impact report says.
NCWSC acting MD Nahashon Muguna recently said water rationing in the city will not end for at least the next three years.
Muguna told the Star that rationing will significantly reduce in 2023 when most of the projects aimed at increasing water to the city are complete.
“We expect the Northen Collector tunnel, which will bring an additional 140,000 cubic metres per day, to be completed in December next year,” he said.
Muguna said the current demand is 790,000 cubic metres per day against a daily Ndakaini Dam capacity of 526,000 cubic metres.
This leaves a deficit of 264,000 cubic metres per day.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Meteorological Department says that most parts of the country will be sunny and dry in August.
Nyeri, Murang'a, Kiambu, Embu, Meru and Nairobi area will experience occasional cool and cloudy conditions.
Most parts of Kenya experience two rain seasons: long rains between March and May and short rains from October to December.
June-August is generally cool and dry over most parts of the country except some parts in the Western region which experience some rains.
Hot and dry conditions are observed over the entire country in January and February. In recent years, inadequate rains have become the norm.