Thousands of residents and businesses across Nairobi are set to experience water shortages after the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) announced a temporary interruption in water supply to facilitate emergency repairs on a major pipeline.
In a public notice, the utility company said the disruption was caused by a major leakage detected on the NCT Fresh Water Pipeline at Riabai, near Rigiiti in Kiambu County.
"We wish to notify our customers of a temporary water supply interruption affecting several residential and commercial areas within Nairobi City County. The interruption is due to a major leakage detected on the NCT Fresh Water Pipeline at Riabai, near Rigiiti, in Kiambu County," the notice stated.
The company said the Kigoro-Gigiri pipeline had been temporarily shut down to allow urgent repair works, adding that normal water supply would resume progressively once the repairs are completed.
"To enable urgent repair works, the Kigoro-Gigiri pipeline has been temporarily shut down and water supply is expected to resume progressively as soon as the repairs are completed," the notice said.
According to the utility, customers in the affected areas should expect low water pressure or complete interruption of supply during the repair period.
The affected neighbourhoods include Westlands, Lavington, Kilimani, Upperhill, Ngong Road, Madaraka, Lang'ata, Karen, Uthiru, Kawangware, Kangemi, Kibera, Ruai, Ngundu, Kamulu, MAVWASCO and Oloolaiser Water Company.
The interruption is expected to affect both households and commercial establishments that rely on the pipeline for their daily water supply.
The water company has advised residents and businesses in the affected areas to store enough water in advance to cater for domestic and commercial needs until supply is fully restored.
"Customers in the affected areas are advised to store sufficient water for domestic and commercial use ahead of the shutdown," the company said.
The notice did not specify when repairs would be completed but assured customers that water supply would be restored progressively once the works are finished.
The utility also urged customers experiencing challenges or requiring further clarification to contact its toll-free customer care line 0800 724 366, which operates daily between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.
The latest disruption underscores the vulnerability of Nairobi's water supply infrastructure, with emergency repairs on major transmission pipelines often resulting in temporary shortages across large sections of the city.
NCWSC said it regrets the inconvenience caused and appealed for patience as engineers work to restore normal services.