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Thursday, September 17, 2009

Water Rationing

The water rationing programme in Nairobi is set to continue into next year as water levels in the city's main reservoir Ndakaini Dam, continue to dwindle.

According to Nairobi Water Company officials, dry taps would continue to be the norm in many parts of the city possibly until April next year.

Ndakaini water dam, which supplies over 80 percent of water consumed by Nairobi residents is currently operating at a mere 33% of its capacity and a rise in water levels is not expected soon as rainfall continues to be evasive.

The situation at Ndakaini Dam has been blamed not only on severe climate change, but also on poor planning, as other reservoirs that should have been constructed alongside Ndakaini dam turned out to be white elephants.

World Bank country director Johannes Zutt now says the government will have to find alternative sources of water for Nairobi and central province residents.

Nobel peace laureate Wangari Maathai is calling on the government to act fast to save the country's water towers In order to alleviate the water crisis.

The drying up of Ndakaini dam is mainly due to the degradation of the Aberdare water tower that has greatly affected water flow in rivers such as Chania, which supply the dam.

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