Nairobi residents are set to experience a five-day water supply interruption starting April 6, following a planned shutdown of a key water system to allow for critical infrastructure works.

In a public notice, the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company announced that the Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) will temporarily shut down the Northern Collector Tunnel 1 (NCT1) system.

The shutdown is aimed at facilitating the completion of essential works linking the Kigoro Water Treatment Plant to the Gigiri and Kabete reservoirs.

The interruption, scheduled from 6:00 a.m. on Monday, April 6, to 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, is expected to affect large parts of the city, including the Central Business District (CBD), Westlands, Lavington, Kilimani, Ngara, Kileleshwa, Kibera, Industrial Area, and several other estates.

Water utility officials have urged residents and businesses to use available water sparingly during the period, noting that the works are necessary to improve long-term water supply reliability across the capital.

Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson acknowledged the inconvenience but emphasized the importance of the project in addressing the city’s persistent water challenges.

“We understand the disruption this will cause to residents and businesses, but these works are critical to securing Nairobi’s water future. Once completed, the upgrades will significantly enhance supply capacity and reliability across the city,” said Sakaja.

He added that the County Government is working had to ensure the project is completed on schedule and that normal water supply resumes promptly.

Residents have been advised to store adequate water in advance and adopt conservation measures throughout the shutdown period.

Authorities have also indicated that water bowsers may be deployed to serve critical institutions such as hospitals and schools where necessary.