Peter Leftie And Casper Waithaka
9 July 2009
Nairobi — A solution to Nairobi's water shortage appeared even more elusive on Thursday when the Nairobi Water Company further tightened rationing, a day after its board was dissolved.
Water company and ministry of Water Resources officials revealed that the nearest long-suffering residents were to an end to the crisis was at the end of August when 22 new boreholes and a dam are commissioned.
Millions of Nairobi residents are making do with dry taps after the water company introduced rationing.
The firm's spokesman, Mr Mbaruku Vyakweli, blamed the water shortage on a huge drop in levels at the Ndakaini dam from the optimum 70 million cubic metres to 26 million cubic metres.
On its part, the ministry warned owners of private boreholes to prepare to share water with their neighbours.
The Water Act empowers the government to compel private borehole owners to share water with neighbours in times of crisis. Nairobi has more than 500 such boreholes.
The Nairobi Water Company also said it would crack down on cartels that had made illegal connections to divert water to private homes and farms.
However, speaking after touring the city to assess the impact of the shortages a day after dissolving the entire board of the water company, councillors led by Mayor Geoffrey Majiwa accused the firm of failing to crack down on the cartels.
"We note with a lot of concern that staff members are involved in the cartels that have illegally connected water," Mr Majiwa said.
Questions have, however, been raised about the legality of Wednesday's sacking of the water firm's board.
Deputy mayor John Njoroge and some councillors distanced themselves from the decision, saying it was based on "selfish interests". Mr Njoroge said that no solution was offered after the board's dissolution.
Meanwhile, 89 water connections meant for Nairobi which had been diverted to Kiambu will be disconnected to improve supply.
Authorities said the city will get an additional 6,000 cubic metres per day from the connections which were serving Banana, Muchatha, Ruaka, Thindigua.
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