Nairobi Water Works Managing Director Nahashon Muguna caused a stir in the Senate when he advised against the move to adopt smart water meters in place of the existing mechanical ones.

 Appearing before the Senate Committee on Monday, July 21, 2025, alongside Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Muguna laid out his reasoning for maintaining the current system, a position that was met with amusement by members of the committee.

Muguna defended mechanical meters as more practical and affordable, pointing out that the majority of Nairobi residents—about 96 per cent—use the standard inch meters that are compatible with mechanical meters.

He explained that a mechanical meter costs approximately Ksh3,500, while a smart meter would cost between Ksh15,000 and Ksh20,000.

According to his analysis, it would take between 20 and 30 years to recover the value gained from switching to smart meters, considering water is a low-priced commodity.

“Mechanical meters use the standard inch size, which is compatible with what most of our customers use—making up 96 per cent of our customer base. A mechanical meter costs approximately Ksh3,500, while a smart meter ranges between Ksh15,000 and Ksh20,000. When you consider the potential benefits of switching from mechanical to smart meters, it would take about 20 to 30 years to recover the investment.” Muguna stated.

He further broke down the accuracy comparison between the two types of meters, noting that mechanical meters deliver a 3 to 5 per cent accuracy range, while smart meters offer a 0.5 to 1 per cent range.

Muguna questioned the actual benefits of investing in such a transition, suggesting that the small gains in accuracy did not justify the significant financial outlay.

Foreign firms to benefit

His remarks culminated in a broader argument that such a move would benefit foreign manufacturers of smart meters at the expense of local jobs, warning that it would be counterproductive to invest heavily in foreign technologies without tangible value for Kenyan consumers.

“Water is a low-cost commodity, and the accuracy of a mechanical meter is between 3 to 5 per cent, while that of a smart meter ranges from 0.5 to 1 per cent. The difference in accuracy is the value that would be gained by making the switch to smart meters.” He added.

The explanation, though detailed, drew laughter and visible skepticism from several senators, some of whom appeared unconvinced by the cost-benefit argument presented

This followed revelations that over 15,000 water meters had not been read for more than six months, with Nairobi County utility staff reporting frequent mistreatment by consumers during attempts to access and inspect the meters.