Sakaja targets slums with clean water supply

Thousands of residents in Nairobi’s informal settlements, including Mukuru, Kibera, Mathare and Kawangware, are set to benefit from a new simplified sewer and water network aimed at improving access to clean water, sanitation and public health.

Governor Johnson Sakaja said the project, implemented through the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, is part of his administration’s broader plan to enhance hygiene and dignity in low-income neighbourhoods.

 “Through our water company, we have constructed a three-kilometer simplified sewer line in Mukuru Kwa Reuben, connecting close to 10,000 households — translating to about 80,000 residents. These are people who never had the opportunity to access clean water before,” Sakaja said.

 For decades, residents in informal settlements have relied on illegal and unsafe water connections, often leading to contamination and unreliable supply.

 Sakaja said the new system will ensure consistent service delivery while reducing losses from unlawful tapping.

 The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Athi Water Works Development Agency and the African Water Facility under the broader Nairobi Sanitation Programme, which seeks to deliver affordable and sustainable sanitation solutions in underserved areas.

 Sakaja said once completed, the network will drastically reduce cases of waterborne diseases and improve environmental hygiene. “We are addressing the challenge of poor sanitation in informal areas by selling water affordably and expanding our network using locally available technology,” he said.

 According to Nairobi Water chief officer Oscar Omoke, the simplified sewer technology represents a game changer in urban sanitation for informal areas.

 “The simplified sewer system is cheaper, faster to install and more adaptable to the dense layout of informal settlements than traditional systems,” Omoke said.

 “That’s why we’ve prioritised these areas — to ensure that every Nairobi resident can enjoy clean, safe and reliable water.”

 The county is also benefiting from an additional 140 million litres of water per day from the recently completed Northern Collector Tunnel, which has raised Nairobi’s total water supply from 525 million to 665 million litres daily, improving both water pressure and delivery frequency across the city.

 Areas already benefiting include South B, South C, JKIA, EPZ, Pangani, Eastleigh, Buruburu, Mathare, Huruma, Kariobangi, Umoja, Donholm, Tassia, Fedha, and Nyayo Embakasi, among others.

 From the Kabete Reservoir, water now reaches Westlands, Parklands, Upper Hill, Kilimani, Dagoretti, Lang’ata, and parts of Karen.

 Sakaja is expected to commission the new Lang’ata Water Project in the coming weeks, a move expected to end long-standing water shortages in the area.

 “Every Nairobian deserves access to clean water and dignified sanitation — no matter where they live,” Sakaja said.