The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has developed a Draft Sewer and Sanitation Fund Policy, Bill and Regulations to enhance resource mobilization for development of sewer and sanitation services.
NMS Director General Lt. General Mohamed Badi said NMS has been drilling boreholes in underserved areas within the city and in particular, the informal settlements to provide Nairobi residents with adequate water.
Badi said to date, NMS has drilled a total of 143 boreholes in underserved areas, and an additional 50 within the metropolis area, with the aim of providing the residents of the informal settlements with clean free water.
“We have been distributing free water in all informal settlements, an average of 900,000 liters per day for the last 14 months using water bowsers,” said the Director General.
The Metropolis Boss was speaking in his office at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre when he received a delegation from Nigeria led by the Nigeria’s Taraba State Governor Darius Isaku and the Taraba Water and Sewerage Corporation leadership.
The delegation has been in the country to engage with the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) to deliberate on how they can increase the capabilities of the two water agencies towards development, innovation and implementation of effective strategies in the management of water and sanitation services through sharing knowledge and skills.
“Since the existence of NMS, we have managed to acquire at least 22 water bowsers, and two supervisory vehicles, with another four water bowsers still under procurement,” said Badi.
Some of the water and sewer extensions projects that NMS has initiated in the informal areas of Nairobi include, sewer extension of about 338.548 kms of which 26.776 km have so for been completed, while water extension target is 392.715 km with 3.915 km completed.
The NMS Director also announced that the construction works of the water and sewerage extension under Mukuru Special Planning Area was still ongoing, adding that 3kms of the water network has already been done.
He at the same time said that the sewer network has been extended by 3.2km with a total of 93 households connected to the sewer.
“NMS has also initiated water and sanitation Covid-19 prevention projects funded by KIWASH-USAID that will include the installation of water and hand washing facilities, construction of ablution blocks and water extension in schools and markets,” he said.
By Bernadette Khaduli
