Nairobi utility costs climb as sewer rates jump for low-income consumers
By Aloys Michael, March 1, 2026Nairobi residents will face significantly higher water and sewerage bills after the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) approved a new tariff structure for the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC).
The revised rates, which apply from the 2025/2026 to 2028/2029 financial years, could see households and businesses pay up to 50 per cent more for essential water and sanitation services.
The adjustment is expected to impact thousands of consumers across Nairobi as the utility moves to implement the regulator-approved pricing framework.
According to a gazette notice published on Friday, February 27, 2026, the revised rates are expected to hit low-consumption households, with bills projected to jump by as much as Ksh23 per cubic metre for water and Ksh15 for sewerage in some usage bands.
“NCWSC applied to the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) for a review of water services tariffs for the period 2025/2026 to 2028/2029 in line with section 72 (1) (b) of the Act. Public consultation on the NCWSC application was carried out as per the requirements of section 139 of the Water Act, 2016,” the notice read.
Under the new tariff structure, domestic consumers using between one and six cubic metres per month will now pay Ksh68 per cubic metre, up from Ksh45. Those consuming between 7 and 20 cubic metres will pay Ksh85, while usage between 21 and 50 cubic metres will cost Ksh91 per cubic metre.
Higher consumption brackets will attract progressively higher charges, rising to Ksh117 per cubic metre for households consuming more than 300 cubic metres.
Sewerage charges will be calculated at 75 per cent of water volumes consumed, with domestic users paying between Ksh58 and Ksh93 per cubic metre depending on their usage level. This means even households that consume modest amounts of water will see a noticeable rise in their monthly bills.
For a typical Nairobi household, consuming between 10 and 20 cubic metres per month will now pay between Ksh850 and Ksh1,700 for water and Ksh650 to Ksh1,300 for sewer services, compared to the previous charges of approximately Ksh670 to Ksh1,340 for water and Ksh560 to Ksh1,120 for sewerage under the old rates.
Bills and penalities
According to a notice by WASREB, customers with non-functional meters shall be billed based on the average of the last three months’ bills.
The water company justified the increase by pointing to severe operational and infrastructure challenges facing Nairobi’s water system.
The regulator says NCWSC is currently losing about 54 per cent of its treated water to leaks, unlawful connections, and other inefficiencies before it reaches consumers.
Most parts of the city currently receive only about nine hours of water supply each day, far below what residents and businesses require. This limited access continues to strain households and economic activities.
The agency explained that increased tariffs will generate funds for a multi-billion-shilling investment plan.The programme aims to rehabilitate ageing infrastructure and expand water access across underserved areas.
To enforce the new regulations, stricter penalties have been introduced for illegal connections. Commercial and industrial users face Ksh100,000 fines, while domestic users risk Ksh30,000 penalties plus backdated usage charges.