Editor's Review

Defaulters have been given a five-day ultimatum to clear any outstanding arrears or risk their water connection being disconnected.

Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as businesses and households, are those at risk of water disconnection ahead of a looming crackdown by the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC).

In a notice issued on Friday, February 6, NCWSC gave defaulters a five-day ultimatum to clear any outstanding arrears or risk their water connection being disconnected.

As per NCWSC, the crackdown was necessitated by revenue shortfalls resulting from defaulters failing to adhere to repeated reminders, public notices, and engagement efforts.

The exercise, set to begin on Wednesday, February 11, will also target water service providers and other institutions, with the main water provider asserting that it will target all customers, regardless of category.

File image of the Nairobi city skyline

“Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited (NCWSC), the licensed provider of water and sewerage services in Nairobi City County, continues its decisive enforcement campaign to recover longstanding overdue arrears from defaulting consumers. This exercise, which begins on 11th February 2026, targets all categories of customers to safeguard the financial health and long-term sustainability of water and sewerage services across the City,” noted NCWSC.

NCWSC contended that the unpaid bills hindered its ability to invest in infrastructure maintenance, leak repairs, network expansion, and reliable supply, amid rising operational costs and non-revenue water challenges.

Further, NCWSC disclosed that the water disconnection would apply uniformly, with no exemptions for certain categories.

Reconnections were only to be processed upon full settlement of all outstanding balances or approved payment arrangements.

Affected customers were encouraged to act urgently and contact any of the NCWSC Regional Offices or the main Business Centre in the CBD at Hazina Towers, with NCWSC urging them to settle arrears immediately to avoid service interruption.

For payment, defaulters could dail *260# for instant balance checks and payments from their mobile phones. Another option was M-Pesa, via the Pay Bill number of 444400 and using their account number as a reference. Defaulters could also pay using the Nairobi Water Mini App or partner banks.