Nairobi Water banks on new 280km piping to increase supply
Nairobi
By
Brian Ngugi
| Mar 02, 2026
Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) has launched a 5-year comprehensive strategic plan to increase water supply in the city, reduce system losses, expand sewerage system coverage, and improve customer care through digitisation of the entire billing infrastructure.
Implementation of the strategic plan will see the capital city’s 5 million residents get a safe and reliable water supply and higher sewerage system coverage, even in the face of rapid growth in demand.
NCWSC acting Managing Director Martin Nang’ole said the expansion plan will involve the building of 180 km of new water pipelines and the construction of 100km of new sewer lines. Customers in informal settlements will get a simplified sewer system, he said in a statement.
“Nairobi’s population has grown above five million, way above the installed capacity, which has strained the system beyond capacity,” said Mr. Nangóle.
Due to increased operating costs and the urgent need to upgrade ageing infrastructure, NCWSC says it has reviewed water and sewerage tariffs upwards by between 20 and 30 per cent, depending on individual consumption, while cushioning low-income customers.
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A domestic customer who was consuming an average of 10,000 litres per month was previously paying Sh538 as water charges and will now pay Sh748.
The utility said the proposed tariff maintains the low water kiosk price of Sh44 per 1,000 litres, equivalent to less than Sh1 per 20 litres.
Beyond population growth, the city is also undergoing rapid urban densification. Several estates that were originally single-dwelling residential areas, such as South B, South C, Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Ngumba, among others, have transformed into high-rise, high-density developments.
This shift has significantly increased water demand and sewer load in areas where the underlying infrastructure was never designed to support such densities.
“The cost of water treatment, the sewerage infrastructure, electricity, pipe materials, and routine maintenance has increased significantly since the last tariff review in 2023. Without an updated tariff structure, the pace of essential upgrades, loss reduction efforts, and service reliability improvements will be severely affected,” Nang’ole said.
He said that additional revenue generated will be ring-fenced for infrastructure rehabilitation, efficiency improvements, and expansion of equitable access to water.
Some of the other projects to be undertaken in the new strategic plan include the construction of a 6km Ngethu raw water pipeline and the rehabilitation of the backwash system at the Kabete treatment plant.
NCWSC will also spearhead the planting of 50,000 trees annually in water catchment areas.
As required by law, the new tariff structure was approved by the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) following a public participation process by Nairobi residents, businesses, and stakeholders.