Northern Water Collector Tunnel (NCT) & Bulk Water System The Northern Collector Tunnel (NCT1), commonly known as the NCT, is part of the Nairobi Water Master Plan and a key national strategic asset.
The NCT project impacts not only Nairobi but also Murang’a, Machakos, Kajiado, and Kiambu. The main objective of the NCT is to improve water access for over 1.2 million residents by providing 140 million liters of clean water per day.
NCT is a critical component of the Fourth Nairobi Bulk Water Supply System, which consists of several vital infrastructures, including:
- The Northern Collector Tunnel 1 (an 11.8 km raw water transfer tunnel)
- The Kigoro Water Treatment Plant (KWTP), an ultra-modern facility
- Ndakaini Dam Ndakaini Dam is a strategic utility located in Ndakaini, Gatanga constituency, Murang’a County.
It has a storage capacity of 70,000,000 cubic meters. This earth-fill dam stands 63 meters high and stretches 458 meters long.
Ndakaini dam has frequently made headlines, sometimes due to concerning developments. Water levels have, at times, dropped to extremely low levels due to reduced rainfall upstream.
Conversely, there was an instance where the Kenya Meteorological Department issued an alert over a forecasted outburst, warning downstream inhabitants.
These occurrences highlight the realities of climate change. While no disasters occurred, such warnings emphasize the importance of preparedness and proactive measures.
The NCT bulk water system is now under the management of AWWDA following licensing by WASREB. Previously, Ndakaini Dam was operated by the Nairobi Water and Sanitation Company.
The transition followed a public consultative forum held at Utalii Hotel in early 2024. During the forum, the local community expressed dissatisfaction with the previous operator, citing neglect of local participatory components, particularly in conservation efforts.
Another key issue was the denial of access to a water quota for local consumption.
As a response, a local-driven initiative—the Ndakaini Mazingira Half Marathon—was introduced as a constituency-based, county-focused conservation and advocacy effort initiative.
The initiative’s organizer, Mr. William Waithaka Wangui (commonly known as Saq Waithaka), a community leader from Gatanga, has championed the cause to ensure locals receive a water quota.
This resulted in Gatanga securing 10,000 cubic meters of water per month from Ndakaini—a step in the right direction.
CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES:
Following the allocation of a water quota, the next step is to establish a community-driven, non-political, and non-partisan initiative to promote environmental and water conservation activities. The other main objective will be to promote sports and local tourism.
Through collaborative efforts and partnerships both at the local and national levels, the Ndakaini Mazingira Half Marathon Initiative will hold its first event in September 2025.
The inaugural event will feature a cross-country race, with the half marathon set to follow in subsequent years.
The initiative’s main objectives include:
- Driving a community-led conservation agenda
- Raising awareness about the preservation of Ndakaini’s 75 square kilometer catchment area, which includes the Kimakia and Gatare Natural Forests • and promotion of Sports & local tourism.
The Ndakaini Mazingira Half Marathon 2025 will serve as a platform for resource mobilization, enabling partner organizations to run conservation and sport activities after the event in September.
Planned activities include:
- Tree planting initiatives
- Athletics competitions
- Local sightseeing
- Entertainment
- Promotion of local trade through the Ndakaini Mazingira Half Marathon Soko Mjinga Locals Promotion.
The event has attracted interest from local and international athletes, corporate teams, recreational runners, and local sports enthusiasts.
The organizer has partnered with an agency and local community-based organizations to ensure a broad community engagement and participation. However, careful measures have been taken to exclude politics, recognizing that previous initiatives around the dam failed due to political interference.
NDAKAINI MAZINGIRA HALF MARATHON EXPERIENCE:
The Ndakaini Mazingira Half Marathon is scheduled for September 6, 2025. Awareness campaigns are already underway through media partnerships and digital platforms.
Ticket sales will launch in March 2025, with an expected registration of approximately 3,000 participants.
Alex Njeru