Water as a perenial problem for the poor

Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Company (Dawasco) has transformed its daily responsibilities as a pretext of receiving money from their customers as a source of income. The Guardian can report. The investigation conducted by this paper carried out in some parts in the city for three weeks has revealed that, the water company provide services to people who pay them money contrary to the law and for those who failed to provide money are not attended by the authorities. For those whose customers whose water pipe bust, they are forced to purchase spare themselves something which is contrary to the law. A month ago, Dawasco water pipe distributing water from Kimara Suka to Golani busted and Dawasco technicians changed the pipe and took connectors and saddle cramp which was connecting water to one among the resident living near the area. An eye witness who preferred to be anonymity said “I witnessed when Dawasco people changing the pipe, and they took connectors which were connecting water to some of the houses and leave with them” Details revealed that it is Dawasco’s tendency to take away connectors and ask their customers who have already connected with water services to purchase connectors and other instruments used to connect water when their pipe bust. Japhet Lufano who’s water connectors was taken by Dawasco technicians suffered for almost three months without water. Lufano said “I was getting water before the pipe bust, but when Dawasco people came and change the pipe they decided to took the connectors connecting water to my residence and when I followed to re-connect water again they asked me to purchase water connection instruments something shocked me up” Furthermore, Avelin Shayo a resident of Kimara suka was charged Sh. 51, 000 with Dawasco technicians for purchasing water connections instruments. He said “As you know water in the city has become a crisis we had no way out of escaping and since I was in need of water I collaborated with my neighbour and we paid the mentioned amount then after they connected water for us” To prove that, news reporter went to Dawasco on 28^th April 2014 claiming to be disconnected with water services and the management asked him to fill the form so that technicians could come and solve the problem. From that day to present, there is no action which has been taken by Dawasco for repairing the pipe, instead they normally say comes tomorrow, we will give you a technician who will go and connect the pipe something which they failed. For his part, Kimara Branch Manager, who identified by one name as Chacha directed the reporter to one among the engineer so as he could assign a technician to go and re-connect water but from that day no technician who was assigned.

However, this week Chacha assigned one among the technicians to go with the reporter and check the problem, he went with the reporter and then the technician turned feedback to the branch manager. The following day (Wednesday) the reporter went back to Kimara Branch so that he could be given a technician, unfortunately he was asked to purchase saddle cramp six inches worth Sh. 20,000, Gate valve ¾ valued Sh. 10,000, Male connector valued Sh. 1500 and Nipple ¾ valued Sh. 1000, all valued Sh. 32,500. Despite of agreeing to purchase the equipments the assigned technicians refused to go and perform the tasks, investigation goes further and revealed that since he was not assured to be paid that’s why he refused to go.

 Investigation went further and the reporter decided to contact Dawasco Public Relations Officer, Everlasting Lyaro, to prove if a customer who has already connected with water services is supposed to purchase any instrument for connecting water. Lyaro said “I you were already connected you are not supposed to purchase any instrument it is the duty of the company to bare all the cost”