Nairobi's water and sewerage systems get a Sh6.2 billion upgrade

Athi Water Works Development Agency, Manager incharge of Sewerage, Sanitation Infrastructure and Development James Muthui (left), Water Secretary at the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, engineer Samuel Alema (centre) and engineer Nahashon Muguna. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Nairobi residents will soon enjoy a cleaner and more efficient sewage system, thanks to a Sh1.4 billion project funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The project involves the rehabilitation of the Dandora Waste Water Treatment Plant, which has been undergoing renovations since May last year.

The plant, which was commissioned in 1982, has been facing operational challenges and contributing to pollution in the city.

Water Secretary at the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, engineer Samuel Alema, said the project is expected to be completed by December this year.

It will ease the pressure on the sewage system and improve the quality of water in Nairobi.

"We are working round the clock to meet the set timelines and deliver this project to the people of Nairobi," Alema said.

He was speaking during an inspection tour of the plant at the weekend in Ruai, accompanied by officials from the AfDB and the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC).

The government has also embarked on rehabilitating other water and sewerage systems across the country, with a total of Sh4.8 billion allocated for the last mile infrastructure.

Alema thanked the AfDB for being the largest partner in the water sector, saying the bank has provided concession loans at one percent interest rate for the water projects.

He said that 71 percent of the population has access to water and that 12.5 million households have water connection.

He appealed to the AfDB to help the government construct more dams, especially in arid and semi-arid areas, where water scarcity is a major challenge.

The dams will help store water during the rainy seasons and provide piped water to the residents.