Residents endorse rehabilitation of 73-year-old Nairobi dam

A picture showing Masinga Dam. [File, Standard]

Residents of Nairobi West and Highrise have endorsed urgent rehabilitation of Nairobi Dam so as to avert loss of lives in case it breaks its banks owing to heavy rainfall in the city and its environs.

This was part of the agenda during a public participation following the calls by Water Resources Authority urging residents living downstream of the dam to vacate since the rains have pushed water levels to near-capacity.

According to the authority, water level poses a risk to hundreds of households along the river.

During a public participation exercise on Friday, residents were taken through the planned interventions aimed at restoring the dam to its original state.

Constructed in 1953, Nairobi Dam has for decades suffered from pollution, neglect, and widespread encroachment.

To restore the dam, Nairobi County is proposing a three-phase emergency plan to fast-track the rehabilitation in a bid to avert potential flooding.

The first phase involves marking riparian boundaries, with authorities calling on those occupying protected areas to vacate following earlier sensitization.

“We have listened to the residents, and what we are undertaking now is a structured and urgent intervention to restore Nairobi Dam and protect lives and property,” Governor Johnson Sakaja said during the public participation exercise in Nairobi West

The second phase will focus on assessing the strength of the dam’s embankment to determine whether it has been compromised.

Reinforcement measures will then be carried out to prevent any potential disaster.

“Once we secure the embankment, we will move swiftly to enforce riparian laws and clean up the dam, removing all waste to return it to its original condition,” Sakaja added.

A multi-agency team comprising Nairobi County officials, the Water Resources Authority (WRA), Nairobi Regeneration Commission, disaster response units, and the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company has already begun groundwork.