Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has announced that the county government has launched a 100-day crackdown targeting individuals and landlords engaging in illegal water connections in the county.
In a press briefing, the governor stated that the crackdown began three days ago in several constituencies and will last for the next three months. He added that the county will take legal action against those involved.
The governor noted that these individuals have been taking advantage of residents by making illegal water connections and then selling the water at higher prices, a factor that has contributed to water scarcity in the region.
"The main reason that the availability of water has gone down is because our non-revenue water is one of the highest in the country, because we have had situations where people have truly been doing nothing else except illegal water connections, which can be equated to treason," the governor said.
"The county government has already embarked on a massive crackdown targeting these individuals who are making illegal connections. Changamwe and Mvita constituencies have already started, and part of Kisauni as well," he added.
The governor further assured that the county, in collaboration with the national government, is working on long-term solutions to ensure water availability, including the establishment of the Mwache Dam, which will enable over 120,000 households to access clean water.
In addition to fixing leakages in water pipes, Nassir said the county will also conduct a hydrological survey to identify sites for wells that will provide fresh water to residents.
"There is a long-term programme, such as the Mwache Dam that is currently being put up by the national government in collaboration with the World Bank, and as the county government, we will look for ways to drill deep water wells within the county," the governor said.
The governor’s announcement came three days after the Nairobi County Government warned residents in several areas that they may face water shortages due to a technical fault along the Kabete–Kibera–Lang'ata water supply pipeline.
In a notice issued on Saturday, August 17, Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company Managing Director, Nahashon Muguna, said the areas that may be affected include Lang'ata, Kibera, Kilimani, Lavington, Parklands, Riverside, and Kileleshwa.
Others include estates along Ngong and Lang'ata roads; estates along Raila Odinga Road, including Madaraka and Nyayo Highrise; Nairobi West; as well as The Nairobi Hospital, the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta National Hospital, and Westlands.
Muguna, who did not reveal when normalcy will be restored, said that residents in these areas should ensure that they use stored water sparingly as the company's technical staff resolves the issue.
