Dar residents grapple with water crisis
Dar es Salaam. Residents across various parts of Dar es Salaam are grappling with severe water shortages that have persisted for weeks, forcing many to resort to costly alternatives to meet their daily needs.
In Goba’s Lastanza area, Mr George Mushi said the crisis has been ongoing since January, with no clear resolution in sight.
“It is frustrating that some neighbours on the same street receive water while the rest of us have none,” he said.
He noted that residents had lodged complaints with the relevant authorities, but no action had been taken.
“They keep making promises, but when our turn comes to receive water, we get nothing. As a result, we are forced to buy water from trucks, which sell it at inflated prices,” he lamented.
Mr Juma Hassan, a resident of Segerea, echoed similar frustrations, describing the situation as unbearable.
“For the past month, we have had little to no water supply in our area. We do not know the cause because there has been no official communication from the authorities. We are forced to buy water from private vendors, who charge exorbitant prices. A single 20-litre jerry can costs Sh600, and an average family needs several of them daily. This is a significant financial burden on us,” he said.
He further pointed out how businesses had taken advantage of the crisis. “Previously, washing a car cost Sh5,000, but now the price has doubled to Sh10,000 due to the water shortage. We are spending too much money on something that should be a basic necessity,” he added.
Similarly, in Kisukuru, Ms Amina Salum described the daily struggle to access water.
“We have gone three weeks without water, and it has been extremely difficult. We wake up at dawn and walk long distances just to fetch a few buckets of water from wells, which are not always safe for drinking. The alternative is to buy from water trucks, but the prices are too high for most people,” she explained.
She urged the government to intervene urgently.
“We cannot continue living like this. Water is a basic right, and the authorities need to act swiftly to restore supply in our area,” she pleaded.
Meanwhile, the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (Dawasa) issued a public notice on 28 February, informing customers served by the Ruvu Juu Water Treatment Plant in Kibaha District that supply had been disrupted due to ongoing maintenance of the water production infrastructure at the plant.
Dawasa’s Public Relations Manager, Ms Everlasting Lyro, told The Citizen yesterday that they expected the issue to be resolved within the week, possibly by Friday, 7 March.
Areas experiencing low water pressure include Chalinze Mboga, Ruvu Darajani, Ruvu JKT, Vigwaza, Mlandizi, Mbwawa, Visiga, Maili 35, Misugusugu, Kongowe, Soga, Mlembe Saba, Kwa Mfipa, Mwendapole, Tanita, Kwa Mathias, Kwa Mbonde, Picha ya Ndege, Lulanzi, Kibaha, and Kiluya.
Other affected areas include Mbezi, Magari Saba, Mbezi Inn, Kimara, Tabata, Segerea, Kinyerezi, Kisukuru, Bonyokwa, Msigani, Maramba Mawili, Kimara B, Kimara Korogwe, Bucha, Baruti, Ubungo, Magomeni, Ukonga, Uwanja wa Ndege, Kiwalani, Vingunguti, Gongo la Mboto, Pugu, and Kisarware.
