•Nairobi generates about 400 million liters of waste per day
•Two treatment plants in Kariobangi and Ruai have the capacity to deal with only 192 million liters per day out of 400 million.
City Hall has signed two deals that will benefit Nairobi by learning how to sustainably treat industrial effluent at source and having a decentralised system of water treatment.
The deal which is signed with the Danish Environment Protection Agency and the 2030 Water Resources Group, an affiliate wing of the World Bank, will see Nairobi's solid waste better managed and sanitation in the city improved drastically.
Danish Head of Division at the Environment Protection Agency, Annette Samuelsen, said Denmark is willing to work with Nairobi in implementing modern solid waste management systems and dealing with industrial waste.
“We are looking forward to this future cooperation that will be of great value in dealing with water pollution and challenges related to industrial waste,” she said.
Currently, Nairobi generates about 400 million litres of waste per day but the two treatment plants located at Ruai and Kariobangi have the capacity to deal with 192 million litres per day.
The parties agreed that they will bring on board all stakeholders to ensure that the issue is addressed collectively.
Water Resources Management specialist, Joy Busolo, hailed the new partnership highlighting that the private sector will also come on board to better manage that water resources in the city are a major step in the right direction.
She also stated that the private sector will be brought on board under the Kenya Industrial Water Alliance umbrella.
According to City Hall, the partnership will boost ongoing efforts by the county government in addressing issues pertaining to Nairobi River and industrial effluent in general.
County's Environment Executive Vesca Kangogo said that despite the county having a solid waste management strategic plan it still explores a more structured approach in dealing with environmental challenges.
“We are adapting wisely to some of these approaches and I believe having such partnerships only make our efforts more efficient. The partnership between the three parties will see more funds pumped into the county to boost ongoing programs on solid waste management and industrial waste," she said.
Kangogo is representing Nairobi in the ongoing Water and Sanitation Conference 2019 is ongoing at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre which is scheduled to end tomorrow (Friday)