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Water projects set to push Dar supply to 95pc

Dar es Salaam. The Dar es Salaam Water Sewerage Authority (Dawasa) is optimistic about its plan to increase water distribution from 85 per cent to 95 per cent by next year.

After signing a Sh114.5 billion contract for six water projects in Dar es Salaam and Coast Regions yesterday, Dawasa said it was on course to ending water woes residents in the two regions face.

Dawasa chief executive officer Cyprian Luhemeja said the projects to be implemented under the agreement include the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)–Bagamoyo water supply, Mwanagati-Kitunda water distribution pipeline and 20 water well drilling in Kimbiji and Mpera.

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Others are Kisarawe-Pugu water supply, and the Mkuranga town and Mlandizi-Chalinze water distribution pipeline projects.

“We are determined to ending the water challenge in Dar es Salaam and some parts of Coast Region,” noted Mr Luhemeja.

He said the current production of water in Dar es Salaam and Coast Region stood at 502 million litres per day against a demand of 545 million litres.

Mr Luhemeja was in the recent past quoted by local media as saying the plan was to increase water supply to 756 million litres by next year so that at least 95 per cent of Dar es Salaam dwellers could access water.

“With the projects, which will take up to 18 months, we have all that it takes to narrow the deficit gap,” noted Mr Luhemeja.

He said of the Sh114.5 billion set aside for the projects, some Sh77 billion is a soft loan from the World Bank (WB), to be used for financing the UDSM–Bagamoyo water supply project.

The project would be constructed by Chinese firm Chengdu Industrial Installation Corporation. The Dawasa boss added that nearly Sh40 billion, which is Dawasa’s locally sourced fund, would finance the remaining five projects.

Water minister Makame Mbarawa challenged Dawasa to increase the speed in implementation of water projects.

“The financial agreement for this WB financed project, whose implementation is yet to kick off, was signed on the same day as that of the Ubungo Interchange, whose execution has reached between 35 and 40 per cent; this is unacceptable,” noted Prof Mbarawa. “Yes, I agree, generally you are doing well, but you need to pull up your socks.”

He also warned officials involved in underhand dealings to inflate the costs of water projects during engineering estimations that they would face the full wrath of the law.

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