Car wash attendants in Nairobi have defied orders by the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company to cease operations to save water.
The operators had been directed to temporarily cease operation and save on this precious commodity, but their defiance now complicates efforts to fight the shortage as the drought bites on.
The reduced water supply to the capital is a result of reduced water levels at the main dams including the Ndakaini Dam, which is the largest supplier.
In December last year, car wash operators were put on notice, as the company embarked on a series of measures towards preserving more water for domestic use.
The water company ordered the car wash businesses to remain shut until normalcy resumes
“Very soon we are going to get out there and stop all the car washes that are out there, so that the water is available for essential services to the people,” said the General Manager.
But two weeks later, nothing much has changed, as many operators are going about their businesses as usual, with many saying they have alternative sources of water.
Most of the businessmen deny that they are to blame for the wastage, saying they have invested in water management facilities.
The operators are on a collision path with the water providers, with the water rationing programme already on its third week.