Dar es Salaam Struggles with Prolonged Water Crisis.

Dar Residents Struggling with Prolonged Water Shortages
Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Residents of Dar es Salaam are enduring a significant water crisis that has been ongoing for several weeks. In various parts of the city, many families are facing severe shortages, resorting to expensive alternatives to meet their daily water needs.

In Goba’s Lastanza area, Mr. George Mushi explained that the water shortage has been affecting them since January, and there appears to be no end in sight. "It is frustrating that some neighbors on the same street receive water while the rest of us remain without any," he said.

Despite numerous complaints lodged with authorities, no visible action has been taken. "They keep making promises, but when it’s our turn to receive water, we get nothing. As a result, we are forced to buy water from vendors who charge inflated prices," he lamented.

Similarly, Mr. Juma Hassan, a resident of Segerea, shared his dismay, calling the situation unbearable. "For the past month, we have had minimal or no water supply. There has been no communication from the authorities explaining the cause. We are left with no choice but to buy water from private vendors at exorbitant rates. A single 20-liter jerry can costs Sh600, and an average family needs several of them daily, placing a significant financial burden on us," he said.

He also highlighted how businesses have exploited the situation. "The price of washing a car, which used to cost Sh5,000, has now doubled to Sh10,000 due to the water shortage. It’s an excessive expense for a service that should be affordable,” he added.

In Kisukuru, Ms. Amina Salum shared the ongoing struggle to access water. “We’ve gone without water for three weeks, and it has been extremely difficult. We wake up early in the morning and walk long distances to fetch a few buckets of water from wells, which are often unsafe to drink. The only other option is to buy from water trucks, but the prices are prohibitively high for most families,” she explained.

She appealed to the government to intervene swiftly. "We cannot continue living like this. Water is a fundamental human right, and the authorities need to act quickly to restore the supply," she urged.

In response to the ongoing crisis, the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (Dawasa) released a public notice on February 28th, informing customers served by the Ruvu Juu Water Treatment Plant in Kibaha District that the supply had been disrupted due to maintenance on the water production infrastructure.

Ms. Everlasting Lyro, Dawasa’s Public Relations Manager, confirmed that the issue should be resolved within the week, with expectations of a return to normal by Friday, March 7th.

The following areas are currently experiencing low water pressure: 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, Kiluya, 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.