Agency calls for water harvesting as floods wreak havoc in Nairobi

A car is swept away by raging waters following heavy downpour in Nairobi, on March 7, 2026. Nicholas Biwott, Standard]

The National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA) has called for a critical shift toward comprehensive water harvesting and storage strategies following flooding across Nairobi, which affected key infrastructure, paralysed transport and left residential estates marooned.

In a press statement, NWHSA CEO Julius Mugun expressed concern for affected residents and motorists who were forced to spend the night on the roads following heavy downpour.

He emphasized that while emergency response is crucial, it does not address the root causes of the perennial flooding.

Magun said the solution lies in transforming a destructive force into a valuable resource by actively capturing and storing runoff before it reaches critical infrastructure.

“We must fundamentally change our perception of stormwater from a nuisance to a valuable asset,” he said.

“Every cubic meter of water we harvest is a cubic meter that doesn’t flow down to flood a home or submerge a major highway. It is a critical link between flood control and water security that we can no longer ignore in our urban planning,” he added, and called for integrated solutions that go beyond simple desilting.

The NWHSA boss pointed out that the current situation—characterised by impassable roads such as Mombasa Road, Kenyatta Avenue in the CBD, Thika Road, Dunga Road and Enterprise Road—as well as flooded homes in estates such as South C, Embakasi, informal settlements and the outskirts of the city—is a stark reminder of Nairobi’s vulnerability to climate variability and the urgent need for a more resilient water management framework.

Mugun admitted that the volume of water generated during heavy downpours far exceeds the capacity of existing drainage systems, many of which are already compromised and outdated.

“The volume of stormwater we are witnessing is overwhelming our current urban infrastructure, much of which was not designed to handle these increasing flows,” he said.

“When drainage is clogged or overwhelmed, it's not a localised issue for South C or informal settlements; it affects the entire economic ecosystem, leading to the massive disruptions we saw on major roads,” he added.

Magun noted that this type of flash floods demonstrates why a dual approach—improved drainage and aggressive water harvesting—is essential.

He assured of the Authority’s commitment to collaborating with urban planners and local governments to design and implement sustainable water infrastructure, including upstream storage reservoirs and distributed harvesting systems within residential areas.

“The Authority is ready to work hand-in-hand with all stakeholders to develop public water works designed for both storage and flood control. Our strategy includes not just large dams, but small-scale water pans and mandatory household harvesting, which can collectively reduce the peak flow into our urban drainage systems,” he explained.

He reiterated that proactive investment in infrastructure would yield long-term benefits for the capital.

As the Kenya Meteorological Department warns of continued rainfall, Mugun called for immediate vigilance and sustained political goodwill for infrastructure reform.

“We cannot afford to keep addressing these disasters with temporary fixes. To truly protect our capital city, we need a concerted, long-term investment in our water harvesting and storage infrastructure that builds resilience against these inevitable climate shocks,” he said.

He emphasized that the Authority’s mandate remains focused on leading this transformation to enhance water security while mitigating the devastating impacts of flooding across the country.