There is an acute water shortage in Athi River town forcing residents from most of the estates to travel close to five kilometres to seek for the commodity from the neighboring Kitengela town, Kajiado County.
A number of these residents are unable to afford water sold by vendors who crisscross the estates using donkeys selling clean water for domestic use.
The vendors collect water from certain points in Kitengela town and sell it at Sh70 per 20 liters jerrican, a cost which cannot be afforded by some of the residents whose two thirds are slum dwellers.
According to Athi River Location's Chief, Joel Mukwa who addressed press in Athi River town on Friday, the shortage is as a result of lack of water at the Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA), Athi River branch which always supply water in most of the estates in the area.
Mukwa disclosed that the authority had missed water for the last one week forcing residents to suffer from the shortage given that it is the sole reliable supplier.
He said the situation had caused lots of problems to women and children whose roles had changed from attending to other household chores to looking for the commodity.
"The situation is worsening given that women and children from the slums are forced to look for water from Kitengela making them unable to attend to other duties," said Mukwa.
The chief expressed his fears that the shortage would affect the children's education if the situation prolongs hence urged concerned stakeholders to intervene.
Water vendors from the region most of who use cats and donkeys to circulate water in the town are in the contrary reaping big from the situation.