NAIROBI, Kenya – More than 200,000 Nairobi residents and businesses are set to benefit from a Sh1.6 billion project to modernise the city’s ageing water infrastructure, the government has announced.
The project, launched by the Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will see the rehabilitation of nearly 100 kilometres of pipeline serving the Central Business District (CBD) and neighbouring areas including Industrial Area, Pumwani, Starehe, Jogoo Road and Ngara.
The initiative aims to reduce frequent water shortages and supply disruptions caused by decades-old and damaged pipelines.
Once completed in November 2027, it is expected to connect nearly 3,000 additional households to reliable water supply.
“The Central Nairobi Area Water Network Project represents a major leap forward in addressing the challenges of water distribution within our capital city,” said AWWDA Chief Executive Officer Joseph Kamau during the launch.
Kamau said the rehabilitation will tackle chronic water losses and inefficiencies that have long plagued Nairobi’s central region, where the system has been in use for close to five decades.
According to the Water and Sanitation Providers Association (WASPA), non-revenue water — losses from leaks, theft and unbilled consumption — costs utilities an estimated Sh11.2 billion every year.
First use of trenchless technology in Kenya
The project will also introduce trenchless technology — specifically Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) — for the first time in Kenya.
The method allows for the installation of underground pipelines with minimal surface disruption, reducing interference with traffic and business activity in the busy CBD.
“By deploying trenchless technology, we are ensuring that critical works can proceed with minimal disruption to residents and businesses,” Kamau said, noting that the approach will enhance efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Part of a broader urban water plan
The rehabilitation is part of the wider Nairobi Water and Sanitation Project, a long-term initiative to expand and modernise the capital’s water and sewerage systems.
It complements major projects such as the Northern Water Collector Tunnel, which supplies about 140,000 cubic metres of water daily to Nairobi and neighbouring counties.
Officials say the new works will enhance water flow, balance pressure across the network and reduce leak-related losses — key steps towards improving reliability in one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities.
Once completed, the upgraded system is expected to stabilise supply, cut water losses, and improve service delivery in Nairobi’s central areas, contributing to Kenya’s broader sustainability and urban resilience goals.
