The Coast Regional Commissioner, Abubakar Kunenge, has called on councillors in the region to work closely with the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) to strengthen water projects and protect water sources.
Kunenge said local government authorities should allocate funds for water projects in their budgets to reduce dependence on DAWASA and help speed up the implementation of water supply initiatives.
He made the remarks while launching a training tour for councillors from the Coast Region to visit water sources and water production plants.
The tour aims to provide councillors with a better understanding of how water is produced and supplied to communities.
According to Kunenge, the visit organised by Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority will help councillors gain practical knowledge of the water production process and improve coordination between local leaders and water authorities in addressing service challenges.
He said although DAWASA receives funding from the central government, local government authorities should also allocate resources to support water projects in their respective councils.
Earlier, DAWASA Chief Executive Officer Mkama Bwire said the authority has started engaging key stakeholders, including councillors, to improve water service delivery.
Bwire said the programme began with councillors from the Coast Region through training visits to water sources and production facilities.
Similar engagements will later be conducted in each council to strengthen understanding of water services and planning priorities.
He said the demand for water services in Dar es Salaam and Pwani Region currently stands at 772 million litres per day, while the production capacity is about 550 million litres per day.
Bwire said several strategic projects are being implemented to increase water supply and improve service delivery.
The government has allocated Sh16.5 billion for the procurement of eight new pumps to improve efficiency at the Upper and Lower Ruvu water production plants, with four pumps already delivered.
He added that DAWASA has also received approval to expand the Lower Ruvu water plant to increase production capacity by 90 million litres per day.
Bwire further said the planned Rufiji water project is expected to produce 1.5 billion litres of water per day, a development expected to significantly increase water supply for residents in Dar es Salaam and the Coast Region.
