By LILLIAN MUTAVI
Monday, December 26, 2016
Ndakaini Dam. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Nairobi residents will experience water rationing from January 1 to April 2017 as water levels in the dams are low following failed rains.
Speaking at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company headquarters on Monday, Managing Director Philip Gichuki said that they expected the dams to fill during the second rain season but it did not happen.
According to Mr Gichuki, since October to date the dams have received 250 mm of rain as opposed to 1000 mm of rains expected.
Ndakaini Dam, which supplies most of Nairobi tap water, is only at 48 per cent full, said Mr Gichuki.
The company will reduce water production in Nairobi by 13 percent in a bid to maintain water supply in the city up to April next year.
Mr Gichuki urged residents to cooperate with the company during the water shortage period by reducing the water consumption for non-essential use like car washing and watering of flowers.
“Those who wash their cars on daily basis should reduce to once a week and cleaning of homes should also be reduced, irrigating lawns should be stopped if they use tap water,” Mr Gichuki said.
He called upon them to report any water leakages for repair in a bid to save the little water available.
The company plans to crack down on car wash business in the city in a bid to save water for essential use.