A severe water shortage has hit the coastal city of Mombasa for the third day running after the Coast Water Services Board (CWSB) closed the Baricho Station in Kilifi County.
Town dwellers, business people, hotel operators, prisons, schools and hospitals are reeling under an acute shortage of drinking water that has compelled them to purchase the precious commodity from vendors.
CWSB Technical Manager Martin Tsuma said a pipe connected to boreholes burst forcing the water company to close the Baricho Station on Sunday.
He said the station is a major supplier of piped water to Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi and Mombasa North which produces a total of 90 million litres of water per day.
“The inconvenience caused by this service disruption is however regrettable but we had to shutdown the station after a pipe connected to boreholes burst. Engineers are repairing the burst pipe,” said Mr Tsuma.
Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Communication Manager Sarah Langat said the affected areas include the upmarket Nyali suburb, Bamburi, Shanzu, Kisauni, Bombolulu, Mtopanga, Kisimani, Mlaleo, Barsheba and Mwandoni.
Ms Langat said the water firm was supplying fresh water to the Coast General Hospital and some schools which have been affected by the water shortage.
“We hope that the water crisis is addressed to ensure water services are fully restored as soon as possible,” she said.