Most city estates will today (Thursday) and tomorrow be without water due to the shutdown of Ng’ethu Treatment Works for repairs.
The disruption will last from 6am on Thursday to 6pm on Friday.
"The shutdown will facilitate major repair works at Mwagu water intake along Chania River from where we abstract raw water to Ngethu Water Treatment Works," the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company said on Tuesday.
The damage was caused by the recent heavy rains.
Ng’ethu, which was designed to treat water with minimal turbidity (concentration of suspended particles), serves 85 per cent of Nairobi with water.
The shutdown will affect the City Centre, University of Nairobi main campus, Coca-Cola factory, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, EPZ-Athi River, South B, South C and the neighbourhoods.
Also to have dry taps are the Industrial Area, Mlango Kubwa, Mathare, Eastleigh, Moi Airbase, Huruma, Kariobangi, Pangani, Maringo, Buruburu, Bahati, Outering, Baba Dogo, Dandora, Dandora KCC factory, Umoja, Doonholm, Fedha, Tassia, Avenue Park, Nyayo and Embakasi.
The others are Ruai, Njiru, Kayole, Komarock, Kenya Breweries, Kenyatta University, Kahawa Barracks, Kasarani, Mwiki, Kahawa Sukari, Garden Estate and Thome Estate.
Along Limuru Road, the affected areas are Parklands, Ngara, Aga Khan Hospital, University of Nairobi's School of Law, City Park, Gigiri, United Nations and Muthaiga.
In May, there was also an interruption of water supply in the city due to the shutdown of Ng’ethu Treatment Works to stop the flow of untreated water into homes.
The NCWSC said at that time that there was an increase of river flow that caused high turbidity and slurry (semi-liquid mixture of suspended particles) caused by a landslide upstream.
After the resumption of water production and transmission to the city, the NCWSC directed most of the supplies to the densely populated areas of Mathare, Mukuru, Korogocho and Kibera.
On May 8, the company also shut down water production at Sasumua Dam, which supplies 11.6 per cent of water to Nairobi.
The shutdown of the Nyandarua-located dam lasted three weeks as new pipes were laid to replace those damaged by massive landslides in the Aberdare Forest that blocked the flow of Karemenu River.
- mwaniki fm
