The National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA) has called for a critical shift towards comprehensive water harvesting and storage strategies following severe flooding across Nairobi, which has left key infrastructure paralysed and residential estates submerged.
NWHSA CEO Eng. Julius Mugun expressed deep concern for the affected residents and motorists forced to spend the night on flooded roads, emphasising that while emergency responses are crucial, they do not address the root cause of the recurring problem.
He pointed out that the current situation, characterised by impassable roads like Mombasa Road, Kenyatta Avenue in CBD, Thika road, Dunga road, Enterprise road as well as flooded homes in estates such as South C, Embakasi, informal settlements and the outskirts of Nairobi is a stark reminder of the city’s vulnerability to climate variability and the urgent need for a more resilient water management framework.
Mugun highlighted that the volume of water generated during heavy downpours far exceeds the capacity of existing drainage systems, many of which are already compromised and its design life have been outdated.
“The volume of stormwater we are witnessing is overwhelming our current urban infrastructure, much of which was not designed to handle these increasing flows. When drainage is clogged or overwhelmed, it’s not a localized issue for South C or the informal settlements; it affects the entire economic ecosystem, leading to the massive disruptions we saw yesterday on major roads,” Mugun stated.
He noted that this type of flash flooding is exactly why a dual approach of improved drainage and aggressive water harvesting is essential.
According to the CEO, a significant part of the solution lies in transforming a destructive force into a valuable resource by actively capturing and storing runoff before it reaches critical infrastructure.
“We must fundamentally change our perception of stormwater from a nuisance to a valuable asset,” Mugun argued.
“Every cubic meter of water we harvest is a cubic meter that doesn’t flow down to flood a home or submerge a major highway. It is a critical link between flood control and water security that we can no longer ignore in our urban planning,” he noted calling for integrated solutions that go beyond simple desilting.
Mugun outlined the Authority’s commitment to collaborating with urban planners and local governments to design and implement sustainable water works, including upstream storage reservoirs and distributed harvesting systems within residential areas.
“The Authority is ready to work hand-in-hand with all stakeholders to develop public water works designed for both storage and flood control. Our strategy includes not just large dams, but small-scale water pans and mandatory household harvesting, which can collectively reduce the peak flow into our urban drainage systems,” the CEO explained.
He reiterated that a proactive investment in infrastructure would yield long-term benefits for the capital.
As the metrological department warns of continued rainfall, Eng. Mugun urged for both immediate vigilance and sustained political will for infrastructure reform.
“We cannot afford to keep addressing these disasters with temporary fixes. To truly protect our capital city, we need a concerted, long-term investment in our water harvesting and storage infrastructure that builds resilience against these inevitable climate shocks,” he said.
