Planned water cuts to disrupt Nairobi estates for 5 days

Residents in several parts of Nairobi should prepare for a five-day water interruption following a planned shutdown of a major supply system by the Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA).

The disruption, which will affect both residential estates and key institutions, is part of ongoing infrastructure works aimed at improving long-term water distribution.

According to the agency, the shutdown of the Northern Collector Tunnel 1 (NCT1) system will begin at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, April 6, 2026, and is expected to end at 6:00 a.m on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

AWWDA says the temporary interruption is essential to allow for the completion of critical works connecting the Kigoro Water Treatment Plant to the Gigiri and Kabete reservoirs.

These upgrades are expected to enhance water supply efficiency once completed.

In its notice, the agency explained that the move is intended to operationalise and satisfactorily conclude all contractual scope of works related to the project.

While the inconvenience may be significant, officials maintain that the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term disruption.

The agency has appealed for patience among Nairobi residents, noting: “We appeal to our customers for indulgence and urge them to use the available water sparingly as we work towards restoring the supply.”

Given the scale of the shutdown, the affected areas span multiple neighbourhoods. These can broadly be grouped by location for easier understanding:

1. Westlands, Lavington and Kileleshwa Zones

This includes Riverside, Parklands, and parts of Lavington such as Gitanga Road, Riara Road and Ole Ndume Road. Kileleshwa areas like Kandara, Othaya, and Githunguri roads will also experience outages.

2. Kilimani, Hurlingham and Upper Hill Areas

Neighbourhoods along Argwings Kodhek Road, Hurlingham, and Denis Pritt Road will be affected, alongside institutions such as Daystar University and Coptic Hospital.

Upper Hill, including key government and medical facilities like Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and KEMRI offices, will also face disruptions.

3. Dagoretti, Kawangware and surrounding estates

Large sections of Dagoretti, including Kabiria, Waithaka, and Dagoretti Market, will be impacted. Parts of Kawangware and nearby estates such as Sunset and Kagondo are also on the list.

4. Kibera and Lang’ata region

Areas within Kibera, including Makina, Olympic, and Kianda, will experience supply cuts. In Lang’ata, estates such as Madaraka, Nairobi West, and Southlands will also be affected.

5. Karen and its environs

Several residential zones in Karen, including areas along Bogani Road, Hardy, Kuwinda, and near the Giraffe Centre, will be without water during the shutdown period.

6. CBD, Industrial area and Embakasi

The Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), South B and South C, and areas along Mombasa Road, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and industrial zones, will be affected.

This extends to Embakasi, Tassia, and Imara Daima.

7. Ngara, Gigiri and Northern Nairobi

Ngara, Forest Road, Limuru Road, and Gigiri, including key international zones such as UNEP and the US Embassy, are also listed among the affected areas.

As the shutdown approaches, residents and businesses are being encouraged to store adequate water and adopt conservation measures.