The Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) has intensified efforts to ensure the full restoration of clean and safe water supply in Dar es Salaam and Coast regions, following a scheduled 10-hour power infrastructure maintenance exercise that temporarily shut down the Ruvu Upper and Ruvu Lower water treatment plants.
The move comes amid growing calls from the public for more resilience and preparedness in future service interruptions, including extending water storage durations before planned maintenance activities.
In a proactive response, DAWASA teams have been deployed across several communities to assess the effectiveness of the service restoration and to swiftly address remaining challenges.
“We experienced a temporary disruption on July 1 and 2, which affected water availability in our neighborhood. However, services have now resumed, and most residents in Kambangwa are receiving water at satisfactory levels,” said Mr. Mkakata Abdul, Chairperson of Kambangwa Street in Mwananyamala Ward.
Despite the general improvement, some areas are still facing low water pressure or intermittent supply. Hafia Ibrahim, a resident of the same area, acknowledged the efforts but urged for continued follow-up.
“We received an early notice from DAWASA about the interruption. Since July 2, the water has been flowing with good pressure in some households, but others are still experiencing weak supply,” she said.
DAWASA’s Head of Communications, Ms. Everlasting Lyaro, confirmed that the interruption was due to essential preventive maintenance on the power infrastructure, which supports the operation of the main water treatment plants.
“On July 2, we successfully reactivated the Ruvu Upper and Ruvu Lower plants, and water production resumed. Today, our technical teams are in the field, monitoring service performance and ensuring that all areas affected are recovering steadily,” Ms. Lyaro explained.
She assured residents that DAWASA remains committed to providing uninterrupted water supply and is taking concrete steps to enhance infrastructure resilience.
“We understand the inconvenience caused, and we are working around the clock to ensure that all customers get reliable access to clean water. Our field teams are following up in real time, street by street.”she added
DAWASA continues to urge residents to report any persistent service issues through its customer service platforms as it works toward building a more reliable and responsive water supply system.
The recent development underscores the importance of communication, rapid response, and technical coordination in managing essential urban services in growing cities like Dar es Salaam.