Nairobi Water Warns of Longer Rationing After 35% Water Supply Reduction

Nairobi Water has announced water rationing for Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, and Machakos counties, warning residents to expect longer periods without regular piped water supplies.

According to a notice released by the utility on Monday, November 9, this follows declining water levels at the Thika/Ndakaini Dam due to below-average rainfall.

The company announced that water production at Ngethu and Kigoro Water Treatment Plants had been reduced by 35 per cent with immediate effect.

“Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Ltd (Nairobi Water) wishes to inform its valued customers and the general public that, due to declining water levels at Thika / Ndakaini Dam, water production at Ngethu and Kigoro Water Treatment Plants has been reduced by 35% with immediate effect,” Nairobi Water stated.

Ndakaini Dam, which supplies Nairobi and surrounding areas, including Thika in Kiambu County, has recorded a significant decline in storage due to insufficient rainfall in its catchment area.

Nairobi gets most of its bulk water from the Aberdare Ranges and Upper Tana River Basin, which extend across Murang’a, Nyandarua and Nyeri counties.

The reduced inflows have forced the utility to temporarily lower water abstraction to preserve available reserves and maintain supplies over the coming months.

The rationing will subject households and businesses to reduced or interrupted piped supplies as authorities limit distribution because available water resources cannot meet normal demand.

The affected providers include Nairobi City Water, which serves Nairobi, and three companies in Kiambu: Kiambu Water, Githunguri Water, and Karuri Water.

Mavoko Water and Sewerage Company serves Machakos, while Olkejuado and Oloolaiser Water and Sewerage Companies supply different parts of Kajiado County.

The company urged customers to use available water sparingly, as households may face longer wait times before normal supply schedules resume.

Nairobi Water said it was continuously monitoring dam levels and weather conditions, adding that production volumes would be reviewed periodically depending on available reserves.

Even with warnings of water rationing, the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMSA) forecasts above-average rainfall in more than 80 per cent of the country during the October-December 2026 short rains season.