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Task force formed to unravel Ndakaini Dam low levels mystery

On a visit to the dam, the Water PS Irungu resolved that a task force be charged with getting to the root of the problem/JOSEPH MURAYA

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 9 – The government has formed a task force to establish the reasons for low water levels at Ndakaini Dam,  the largest source of water for Nairobi, despite persistent heavy rains.

Principal Secretary for Water Joseph Irungu says the task force will be required to look into all issues surrounding the management of the dam that has been a major cause of concern for months now.

This follows worries that the levels of dam water remained drastically low, despite the heavy rainfall being experienced in the country.

“We must know what is ailing this dam,” the PS said.

The task force will include representatives from the water Ministry, Nairobi and Murang’a Counties, Athi Water and Sewerage Company, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company among other stakeholders.

READ: Why Ndakaini Dam remains ‘empty’ despite rain everywhere

Engineer Samuel Halima will lead the probe, set to be done in two months.

“We want the task force to start working right away. We cannot wait any further, we need to get one coherent report that tells us how we are going to manage the dam,” the PS said.

The water levels at Ndakaini are currently at 33.5 million cubic metres of water at 48.5 per cent whilst the dam has a capacity of 70 million cubic metres.

The dam construction was undertaken under the Third Nairobi Water Supply Project between 1989 and 1994.

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But the reason why no expansion or structural adjustments have not been made, according to a Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, is due to a lack of funding.

The report does not, however, indicate when funding of the “1990s adjustments programmes” was stopped and governances issues raised.

The initial project was co-financed by the World Bank, ADB, European Investment Bank and the Kenya Government among others at an estimated total cost of Sh2 billion.

– About Ndakaini dam –

The dam is operated by the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company.

Water from the dam is usually conveyed through a system of tunnels running from the dam, tapping Kiama River and Kimakia River and diverting the flows to Chania River at the Mwagu Outfall.

Water is tapped from Chania River at Mwagu and conveyed via a tunnel to the Mataara chamber from where it’s conveyed by pipelines to Ngethu water production plant.

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