Panic as taps run dry in Nairobi

A state of panic has gripped Nairobi residents many of whom have gone without a drop of water for more than 10 consecutive days. For almost two months now, the city has been experiencing a water rationing programme but the current situation is acute. Residents have resorted to buying water from water vendors who sell a 20 litre jerry can of water at about 70 US cents, while hotels and public institutions are being supplied by commercial water agents at about US $95 for the smallest truck, the “East African Standard’ newspaper reported.

However, the shortage is affecting industry workers who now fear that they might lose their jobs. On Tuesday, more than 3,000 employees in Nairobi’s industrial area had their services “temporarily suspended” due to the water shortage, the Kenya Television Network (KTN) said. The Nairobi City Council on Tuesday said the acute shortage was caused by a “small hitch” and that it was doing “all it could” to ensure that the rationing was restored to its original format by the end of this week. A survey by the ‘East African Standard’ newspaper on Wednesday found that water supply to the city had been reduced by 75 per cent because the water level at the main dam had fallen from 22 to 19 feet.