Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Ltd issued a notice on 9 November that water rationing will now affect Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos, meaning residents should expect longer periods without regular piped water.

The utility linked the measure to a sharp decline in water levels at the Thika/Ndakaini Dam, which it attributes to below‑average rainfall in the dam’s catchment area.

Production at the Ngethu and Kigoro Water Treatment Plants has been reduced by 35 per cent with immediate effect, prompting the company to lower water abstraction to preserve remaining reserves.

The cut in output will lead to intermittent or reduced piped supplies for households and businesses as the utility throttles distribution to match the lower water availability.

Affected service providers include Nairobi City Water, Kiambu Water, Githunguri Water, Karuri Water, Mavoko Water and Sewerage (Machakos) and Olkejuado and Oloolaiser Water and Sewerage (Kajiado).

Customers have been urged to conserve water while the utility continuously monitors dam levels and weather conditions, with production volumes to be reviewed periodically.

Despite the rationing warning, the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority forecasts above‑average rainfall across more than 80 per cent of the country during the October‑December short‑rains season.