In an effort to improve the drainage system of Nairobi, the County Government has identified various drainage “hot spots” that require attention to facilitate efficient water flow to local streams and rivers.
The Environment Sector is leading this initiative and has partnered with the Mobility and Works Sector, as well as Enforcement, to identify the areas that need unblocking and assign teams to carry out the necessary work in all sub-counties.
According to Environment Chief Officer Hibrahim Otieno, this exercise will help the County Government reduce damage to property caused by flooding while also ensuring that the city remains clean at all times. Furthermore, the initiative is expected to improve Nairobi’s drainage system, which is currently inadequate even in non-emergency situations.
“We hope that through this mapping out process, residents will become more aware of the connection between storm drains and the storm sewer system,” noted Otieno. He further added that most people do not understand that storm drains serve as entry points into the storm sewer system, and that storm water runoff leaving the system is not treated first like sanitary wastewater.
The move to identify drainage hot spots comes after Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja held a meeting with waste management contractors and Environmental Management Officers (EMOs) to discuss the cleaning of the city.
During the meeting, Governor Sakaja assured residents of the planned construction of a new weighbridge and the re-carpeting of leading roads to the Dandora dumpsite to ease mobility for trucks. He also confirmed that the County Government would engage 3,500 youths to participate in cleaning the city.
Overall, the initiative to identify drainage hot spots and unblock drainage across all sub-counties is a positive step towards improving Nairobi’s drainage system and reducing damage caused by flooding.
It is hoped that with increased awareness and collaborative efforts, Nairobi will become a cleaner and more environmentally-friendly city.