The Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA) has attributed the ongoing water shortage affecting residents in Kibaha, Kisarawe and other areas supplied by the Upper Ruvu Water Treatment Plant to major maintenance works aimed at improving the reliability of water services.
DAWASA Head of Communications, Everlasting Lyaro, said the temporary interruption, which started on March 26, 2026, was caused by critical repair and upgrade works being carried out at the plant to strengthen water production and distribution systems.
She said the works involved repairing a leaking 48-inch raw water transmission pipeline that transports water from the Ruvu River to the treatment plant, cleaning sludge filtration basins, and installing three new pumps to boost water supply efficiency.
“These are essential improvement works intended to strengthen water service delivery for our customers in the long term. We understand the inconvenience caused and sincerely apologise to wananchi affected by the temporary interruption,” said Lyaro.
She noted that repair works on the damaged 48-inch pipeline had already been completed, with water supply expected to resume gradually in most affected areas beginning the night of March 27.
“We have completed the leakage control works on the main pipeline, and water supply is now expected to return progressively in many of the affected areas served by the Upper Ruvu plant,” she said.
DAWASA also revealed that four out of eight new pumps procured to improve water supply infrastructure had already arrived, with three currently being installed at the Upper Ruvu Water Treatment Plant and one at the Lower Ruvu Plant in Bagamoyo District.
According to Lyaro, the installation of the new pumps forms part of wider government efforts under the Sixth Phase Administration to improve access to reliable and sustainable water services across DAWASA’s service areas.
“The arrival and installation of these pumps reflects the government’s continued commitment to strengthening water infrastructure and ensuring citizens receive more reliable services,” she said.
The authority assured residents that although the maintenance works caused temporary inconvenience, the upgrades are expected to significantly improve water production capacity, strengthen distribution efficiency and reduce future supply interruptions in Kibaha, Kisarawe and surrounding areas.
