Thousands of Nairobi residents, including students and staff at Kenyatta University, will face a 29-hour water outage starting Thursday, November 5, following a planned shutdown of the Karimenu Transmission Pipeline.
The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company announced that water supply would be interrupted from 3:00 am on Thursday until 8:00 am on Friday, November 6, affecting 14 estates and surrounding neighbourhoods.
In a public notice issued on Wednesday, November 4, the utility said the shutdown would allow the Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) to undertake pipeline connection works.
Nairobi Water shutdown: List of 14 affected estates
Nairobi Water identified three clusters of neighbourhoods that will experience the planned interruption.
The first cluster covers Kasarani, Mwiki, Clay City, Ruiru and Njiru, together with surrounding areas.
The second cluster includes Roysambu, Zimmerman, Kahawa Barracks and Kenyatta University, as well as neighbouring areas.
The third cluster comprises Kayole, Komarock, Soweto and Matopeni, alongside their surrounding neighbourhoods.
Kenyatta University and Kahawa Barracks are among the major institutions expected to be affected by the disruption.
Why Nairobi Water is shutting down the Karimenu pipeline
The shutdown will facilitate tie-in works being undertaken by the Athi Water Works Development Agency.
The process involves connecting new pipeline sections to the existing water distribution network. The system must first be fully depressurised to allow the technical works to be carried out safely.
The works are linked to the broader Karimau II Dam water supply project, which aims to improve water supply reliability in Nairobi and neighbouring areas once completed.
Nairobi Water said the 29-hour shutdown period would allow the agency to complete the connections before normal water supply is restored.
Nairobi residents advised to store water before Thursday shutdown
The utility has urged residents in the affected neighbourhoods to make arrangements ahead of the interruption by filling their water storage containers before the shutdown begins.
Customers have also been advised to prioritise essential activities, including drinking, cooking and personal hygiene, during the outage.
Activities such as washing vehicles and watering gardens should be postponed until normal supply resumes.
Nairobi Water provides emergency contact for affected residents
Nairobi Water apologised for the inconvenience and said its teams would work to restore supply as quickly as possible after the scheduled maintenance works.
Residents seeking assistance or wishing to report emergencies can contact the utility through its toll-free number, 0800 724 366.
Customers have also been encouraged to follow Nairobi Water’s official social media platforms for updates on the pipeline works and restoration of supply.
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