• This comes amid efforts to weed out cartels that infringed the water sector leaving Nairobians with dry taps.
• All water bowsers/tankers shall also have a 600mm circular lockable inspection chamber and the tanker’s body should be devoid of rust.
Image: COURTESY
Water bowsers and tankers supplying water to Nairobi residents will now be required to undergo inspection before commencing operation at the Wilson Airport water reservoir in South C, off five-star road.
This is among the new regulations that have been introduced by the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company for the certification of water bowsers and exhausters and meant to control the beneficial water distribution business in the Capital that had been cartel-swamped.
Through a notice issued in one of the dailies on Wednesday, Nairobi Water Managing Director Nahashon Muguna stated the inspection kicked off on June 17, 2020, until July 2, 2020.
“Inspection will be continuous. Those who will not have been inspected and issued with a compliance certificate by Thursday, July 2, 2020, shall be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he said.
In April 2020 Water Services Regulatory Board had announced there would be new guidelines put in place by the before the water vendors hit the road.
This is amid efforts to weed out cartels that infringed the water sector leaving Nairobians with dry taps.
The objective of this registration is to ensure that consumers of the water distributed by water bowsers are of consumable quality.
As part of the new measures, owners of the water tankers/bowsers will also be required to provide a quality certificate indicating the source of water from a government certified laboratory.
On top of that, the water bowser tank should be painted sky blue and have the interior lined with food bitumen.
A water sampling point shall be also be fitted, tanker volume must be indicated on the tank’s body and have a graduated level indicator on the side. All water bowsers/tankers shall also have a 600mm circular lockable inspection chamber and the tanker’s body should be devoid of rust.
The owners will be expected to label the name water tank on both sides of the tank and have their name and telephone number clearly marked with 75mm letters also on both sides of the tanker.
Moving on, all exhausters will have to be repainted brown in colour and inspected at the Kariobangi Sewerage Treatment Works (KSTW) before being allowed to continue with operations in Nairobi.
The capacity of the exhauster will have to be indicated on both sides and the rear with the letters being at least 75 mm in size.
The word “exhauster” should also be placed on all sides and the rear of the tank. The water volume shall be clearly indicated on the body of the exhauster.
Exhausters should also be fitted with a sealed tank and accessories that are leak proof to liquid and gases and further be required to be fitted with sludge pumps capable of suction drawing of viscous sludge.
They will be required to present clearance certificates from the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and shall be required to pay annual discharge fees before the sub-license can be issued.
The original letters of approval to discharge into approved discharged points should be displayed in the truck at all times.
They will also be required to display a payment receipt for the discharge license and the business permit license issued by the Nairobi Metropolitan services (NMS).
Muguna highlighted that Nairobi water has the right to cancel the permit to discharge into its sewerage system or impose requisite fees, if the exhausters fail to comply with the laid down conditions
“Water tankers and exhausters have been registered to provide the said services but require to be issued with a certificate by the approved water and sanitation service provider before they can operate,” he noted.
The regulations will also apply to exhausters, gated community water providers, private boreholes owners engaging in community water supply and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) water projects.
Part of the new guidelines is the development of an app that will enable consumers to trace the water providers.
Using the app, a consumer can order the amount of water they need and they will be directed to the vendor.