Dar es Salaam. The Dar es Salaam Water and Sanitation Authority (Dawasa) has announced significant water shortages across large parts of the city following a sharp drop in production at the Lower Ruvu treatment plant.
The shortfall has been attributed to reduced water levels in the Ruvu River, caused by delayed rainfall.
The affected areas include Bagamoyo, Tegeta, Boko, Mbezi Beach, Mwenge, Kinondoni, Mwananyamala, Masaki and sections of Ilala, where many customers have reported inconsistent or severely reduced water supply.
In contrast, Dawasa confirmed that production at the Upper Ruvu plant — supplying Kibaha, Kibamba, Kimara, Tabata, Kinyerezi, Pugu and Kisarawe — remains stable, with normal distribution continuing.
To mitigate the crisis, the authority, in coordination with the Ministry of Water, has directed water tankers previously allocated to agricultural and fishing operations in the Ruvu basin to prioritise domestic supply.
Dawasa is also increasing the use of boreholes to ease the strain on production.
The authority pledged to continue issuing frequent updates to help residents plan for essential activities and urged the public to conserve the water currently available. It also apologised for the disruption caused by the ongoing shortage.
