Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has proposed penalties for residents who deliberately block access to water meters, citing persistent challenges faced by meter readers in various parts of the city.
The Governor made the remarks while appearing before the Senate County Public Investment and Special Funds Committee alongside officials from the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC).
Sakaja noted that in some residential premises, access to water meters is hindered either due to homeowners being away or domestic workers being instructed to deny entry to meter readers.
To address this, the county government, in collaboration with NWSC, is now relocating water meters outside residential gates to ensure easier access.“We are also sensitizing customers on self-meter reading through SMS reminders,” Sakaja told the Senate committee. “However, where there is deliberate obstruction, there should be consequences.”
Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company Managing Director Eng. Nahashon Muguna revealed that although the utility manages to read the majority of its 250,000 water meters on a monthly basis, about 15,000 meters remain problematic due to access restrictions.
In a bid to modernize water management and curb revenue losses, the county is also exploring the adoption of smart meters, which cost KSh 15,000 each—up from the current standard meter cost of KSh 3,500. These digital meters would enable remote reading and reduce reliance on physical access.
Senators expressed concern over potential revenue leakages resulting from unread meters and unpaid bills, particularly by some public institutions, which Muguna identified as among the highest defaulters.
Despite these challenges, NWSC recorded its highest-ever revenue collection in the 2024/2025 financial year, raking in KSh 11.7 billion.
The Senate committee urged Nairobi Water to fast-track reforms and technological upgrades to enhance efficiency, reduce losses, and improve service delivery to city residents.
