NAIROBI,Kenya July 16 – Nairobi has doubled the treatment capacity of the Ruai Sewerage Treatment Plant from 160,000 cubic metres to 320,000 cubic metres per day, in what county officials say is part of efforts to improve sanitation services and address rising wastewater volumes in the capital.
The announcement came as the Nairobi County Government also disclosed plans to expand the Kariobangi Sewer Treatment Plant from 30,000 cubic metres to 90,000 cubic metres per day, alongside the construction of a 54-kilometre trunk sewer network along the Nairobi River corridor.
The projects are intended to increase the city’s capacity to treat wastewater, reduce sewage discharged into rivers and support a growing urban population.
Governor Johnson Sakaja said the expansion was necessary to keep pace with Nairobi’s increasing population and demand for sanitation services.
“This is important because we are in a growing city that now hosts more than seven million people during the day and over five million at night. It is paramount that we expand our treatment capacity, and that is exactly what we have achieved through the efforts of our teams in collaboration with the National Government,” he said.
According to the county, the additional treatment capacity at Ruai and the planned Kariobangi expansion are expected to reduce pressure on the city’s sewerage system and help curb illegal discharge of untreated waste into rivers.
The announcement also highlighted ongoing works on the 54-kilometre trunk sewer project, which is being implemented jointly by the county and the national government.
Sakaja said the new sewer line is expected to replace illegal sewer connections that currently discharge waste directly into the Nairobi River and provide infrastructure capable of serving the city for decades.
“The new trunk sewer line will serve Nairobi for the next 50 years. It will help clean the Nairobi River and permanently address illegal sewage discharges. Beyond environmental restoration, we are transforming the river corridor into an attractive public space with boulevards, walkways and cycling lanes, changing the story of a capital city that for decades has been defined by a polluted river running through it,” he said.
County officials said the expanded Ruai facility will also produce treated water that can be used downstream for agricultural purposes, while the planned upgrade of the Kariobangi plant is expected to improve wastewater treatment capacity in the northern parts of the city.
The projects are among several infrastructure interventions aimed at addressing longstanding challenges in Nairobi’s sewerage system, which has struggled to keep up with rapid urbanisation and population growth.