The government of Kenya has announced plans to automate water supply to Nairobi slums’ dwellers by installing water vending machines.
Government spokesperson Rtd Colonel Cyrus Oguna revealed the information during a visit to Nairobi’s Mukuru Kwa Rueben slum on Thursday, August 12, 2021.
Oguna said the ongoing water projects would see residents of the slums having access to up to 20 litres at a subsidized price of 50 cents.
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Initially, residents used to pay ksh10 for a 20-litre jerrycan of water.
The projects were initiated by the Nairobi Metropolitan in 2020 and are some of the measures undertaken by the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation to increase the availability of water within the informal settlements of Nairobi.
These measures aim to assist vulnerable communities in informal settlements to have access to adequate and reliable water supply sources.
The first phase, which started in April 2020, involved drilling and equipping 20 new boreholes; Construction of 51No, 24m 3 elevated steel tanks on18m high towers; and Construction of 102 Community water kiosks and distribution networks.
During the 2nd phase, four more boreholes were drilled and equipped while 42 Elevated steel water tanks were installed, providing 8.6 million liters of water per day serving over 300,000 people within the informal settlements.
