Climate change and urbanization are together increasing water scarcity where the water demand exceeds availability for the world’s cities. Nairobi’s water demand currently stands at 810 million litres per day against a supply of 550 million litres per day with a deficit of 260 million litres. The impact of climate change is now becoming a reality for the residents of Nairobi.
East Africa’s fast-expanding City, which is the international, regional, administrative and economic hub for Kenya, once referred to as the ‘Green City under the sun’, has slowly been losing the vegetation title. The green cover has shrunk to pave way for the urban developments and the settlement pressure from the ever-growing population. The increased demand for water has also increased the water stress in Central Kenya’s mountain ecosystem where expansion for the additional collector tunnels is being developed to satisfy the huge demand.
According to the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company, the chronic water shortage in the city including its surrounding area because the proposed additional water source, the Northern Collector Scheme, was not implemented as proposed in 1998.
With the impact of climate change, increased population, water supply deficit, and water demand projections, what does the future have for urban dwellers?
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