Dry taps for Nairobi as Sasumua Dam treatment plant is shut down

Nairobi will, for the next few days, experience water shortage after Sasumua Dam Treatment was shut down yesterday.

The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company announced that the shutdown had been occasioned by a massive landslide in Karemenu River inside the Aberdare Ranges Forest. Sasumua Dam Treatment supplies 11.6 per cent of water to the Nairobi City County population.

In a press release issued on Friday, the water company explained that even though its engineers and maintenance staff are already on site to start the repairs, their efforts were being hampered by the heavy rainfall.

“Currently the area is experiencing heavy rains making access very difficult. We are doing everything possible to restore the supply to residents,” read the statement from the water firm.

The city water company also announced that it is mobilising water tankers to supply water to the affected areas in a bid to mitigate the effects of the water shortage.

This is the second time the capital has experienced interruption of water supply in a span of two weeks. Last week, the city experienced dry taps after a downpour in the Aberdare Ranges caused the shutting down of Ng’ethu treatment works.