Business Daily (Nairobi)
Okuttah Mark
26 May 2008
Nairobi — Construction of unplanned residential houses is threatening supply of clean water in some estates in Nairobi.
The Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC) says the recent water contamination in Umoja Innercore Estate was caused by unregulated construction.
Residents of the estate have been left to contend with the erratic supplies and raw sewer in the neighbourhood.
But the Umoja experience, says NWSC technical director, Joseph Kimani, is a tip of the iceberg as population pressure strains water and sewerage in the absence of new investments.
Soon, warned the water supplier, other estates may not enjoy the services as unplanned buildings mushroom in the city whose population increases by the day.
For the last one month, residents of Umoja have been without water supply after the water company disconnected the service when contamination was detected.
Mr Kimani said the contamination was caused by blockages following unauthorised connections to the sewer and dumping of solid waste in open manholes.
The bigger problem, he said, is the grabbing of way leaves and construction of illegal permanent structures on top of the sewer lines, making it difficult for the Athi Water Company, which deals with the water infrastructure for that region, to repair the lines.
"Umoja and its surrounding were never designed for high-rise buildings. This has caused over-loading of the network leading to sewer overflows," said Mr Kimani.
The estate uses the infrastructure built in the 1980s and was meant for a population of 6,000 but is now serving more than 20,000 families.
The main problem now is how to access water and sewer lines running under the foundations of permanent buildings.
"We cannot pull down those structures. This can only be done by the Nairobi City Council," Mr Kimani said.
Janet Njagi, the chairperson of the water regulatory body, says her organisation has powers to cancel licences of water service companies that are not effective, but says the problem is multi-faceted.
"Concerted efforts are needed between the ministries of Local Government, Land and Environment to ensure private developers don't encroach into sewer and water lines. In the event they do so, appropriate action should be taken," said Ms Njagi.
Mr Kimani blames the City Council for failing to follow up on the building plans it approves to ensure the dimensions are followed to the letter.
One resident, Ms Betty Omulo, said City Hall had failed to address the issue despite its personnel being on the ground for over one month.
It emerged that the position where the burst sewer was interlinking with the water pipes was yet to be located.
"We are still trouble shooting. The moment we get the location, we will start working immediately and give a time frame when the work can be completed," said Mbaruk Vyakweli, the corporate affairs manager, Nairobi Water Company.
Umoja residents have now been left to dig deeper into their pockets to get the essential product.
Ms Omulo said while her usual monthly water bill was between Sh600 and Sh800, at the moment she spends at least Sh300 on water daily.
"We are not even sure of the source of the water we are buying from these vendors. This poses a great risk to our health," she said.
Water vendors
Since the systems were disabled to cut the squalid flow, enterprising youths have used the opportunity to supply water to the residents at inflated prices.
Sammy Wasiuma, for instance, has suspended his fruit vending business to supply water.
Mr Wasiuma says he used to make Sh300 from his fruit business in a day but since he switched to water, he is making Sh800 daily.
He has been able to segment the market and says he sells 20 litres of water at between Sh40 and Sh60. Mr Wasiuma says he fetches the water from the neighbouring Kayole estate using his bicycle.
However, those who cannot afford the vendors' rates are queuing for the free supplies by the water company as they work to restore normal flow.
Snaking queues mark the supply points in the estate and residents fight for the product.
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