Water as a perennial problem in the city of Dar es Salaam

Water has become a social problem in many places in Tanzania and the government has been trying all it can in order to ward off the impediment that con trains the development of water sector in the country. Despite this effort, the government has also been calling upon the engagement of the private stakeholders in the fight in order to get the lasting solution to the problem which by no means is quite negligible whatsoever as far as its use is concerned. In view of this however, THE government has urged the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) and Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Corporation (DAWASCO) to work closely with other stakeholders in an effort to end water shortages in the region. The call was made recently by the Deputy Minister of Water and Irrigation, Jumaa Aweso, in Kigamboni District during his tour of Dar es Salaam Region to inspect implementation of water projects and accessibility of water to city residents. The Deputy Minister asked Dawasa and Dawasco to work closely with municipal and district councils in the region and other water stakeholders so as to ensure they achieve their target of ending the city water blues. According to Dawasa, currently, 75 per cent of Dar es Salaam residents are connected to formal water network while the rest are not connected to the network and lack access to safe and clean water. Some areas which have been mentioned as facing acute problem of access to clean and safe water include the newly formed district of Kigamboni and Segerea constituency which lacks water infrastructure. However, Dawasa and Dawasco are working on the problem so as to enable the areas be connected and have water access by introducing various projects in the areas, to ensure the government’s target of reaching 95 per cent of Tanzanians have access to clean and safe water is achieved. In Kigamboni District, Dawasa are conducting several projects including drilling 20 boreholes and erecting water tanks in the first phase to be followed with infrastructure such as pipes from the source to customers. Dawasa Deputy Director of Technical Services Modester Mushi disclosed that in an effort to tackle the problem in Kigamboni District, the authority is currently conducting projects at Vijibweni and Kimbiji in Kisarawe II Ward where they are drilling 12 deep wells. Eleven of them are already completed and have the capacity of providing 250,000 to 500,000 litres per day. However, she unveiled that the second phase of the project which involves the erection of infrastructure such as pipes is yet to start due to lack of funds. But, Dawasa is working around the clock to get the funds to complete the project through soft loan from Exim Bank of China, which they are expecting to get. Deputy Minister Aweso commended the good job by Dawasa for implementing various water projects in the district in an effort to solve the district water blues for good and urged them to ensure the projects are completed in time. He went on to advise Dawasa to see how they can start using the 11 completed wells to reduce water crisis in Kigamboni District.