•Nairobi is losing Sh3.7 billion per year as a result of non-revenue water
•Non-revenue water is water that is produced but ‘lost’ through leakage or theft before it reaches the customer.
At least 1,143 illegal water connections in Nairobi were destroyed in the last financial year.
This resulted to 179 arrests which were made by county government of Nairobi and Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company.
The areas affected were Githurai 45, Mwiki, Saika, Lucky summer, and Dandora among others.
All the arrested individuals were charged at the City Hall and were fined a total of Sh5 million for contravening article 43 of the constitution regarding safety, cleanliness, and orderliness of food and water for Kenyans.
This Act also promulgates the importance and necessity of distributing water and food among all Kenyans equally regardless of social status.
The data are indicated in a report by the water department at City Hall.
Early this year, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko cracked the whip on cartels who have been collaborating with officers from Nairobi Water to have illegal water connections.
He called upon city residents to report anyone including City Hall staff who are found doing illegal water connections.
"Illegal water connections have frustrated efforts to provide sufficient, clean and reliable water to city residents,but the county is working on more concrete measures to end the vice," Sonko said.
In March this year, 483 illegal water connection points were fund with 128 people arrested.
The main areas where water was disconnected are Huruma, Ngei, Pangani, Mwiki, Clay City Kasarani, Maji-Mazuri Kasarani, Githurai 44 and Zimmerman estates.
In January, a report from the Water Department at City Hall revealed that Nairobi is losing Sh3.7 billion per year as a result of non-revenue water — equivalent to 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.
However, City Hall has regularised operations of 110 new water connections to cushion on the water shortage in the city.
Nairobi has been facing water shortage problem for about five years and the situation is expected to worsen until 2023.
The capital needs a total of 770 million cubic metres of water a day but the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company only manages to supply about 520 million cubic metres with a deficit of 250 million cubic metres.
The prolonged dependency on Ndakaini Dam has proved not helpful due to the increasing population in the city.
As of Wednesday, the dam, which is the city's main water supplier, was 45 per cent full, which, according to Nairobi Water, amounts to only 31 million cubic metres of water.
Due to the shortage of water, most estates in the city have been experiencing water rationing where households receive water at least twice in a week.
The crisis will force residents to dig deeper in their pockets as they find solutions to water vendors in the city.
Water vendors in those areas are already selling a 20-litre jerrican for between Sh20 and Sh50.
Nairobi Water acting MD Nahashon Muguna recently said rationing will significantly reduce in 2023 when most of the projects aimed at increasing water to the city are complete.
“We expect the Northern Collector tunnel, which will bring an additional 140,000 cubic metres per day, to be completed in December next year,” he said.