Residents of Kigamboni are expected to pay less for sewage disposal after the Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Dawasa) completed construction of two wastewater treatment plants in Vijibweni and Gezaulole wards.
The two facilities, valued at TZS2.3 billion, have been built to treat wastewater from the surrounding areas and provide disposal points for private sewage-emptying trucks operating in Kigamboni District.
Dawasa’s Sewage Projects Manager, Engineer Eric Mutalemwa, said the plants had been completed, inspected and were ready for operation.
“The Vijibweni and Gezaulole projects are modern wastewater treatment facilities. We have inspected them and confirmed that the construction has been completed. They are now ready to serve residents and operators of sewage-emptying trucks in the district,” he said.
The completion of the plants is expected to reduce the costs residents and private service providers incur when transporting sewage to treatment facilities located outside Kigamboni.
For years, sewage trucks operating in the district have had to travel longer distances to dispose of wastewater at facilities in Vingunguti and Kurasini, adding to fuel and operational costs that are ultimately passed on to customers.
Habibu Ally, a sewage truck driver in Kigamboni, said the new facilities would reduce operating costs by allowing trucks to dispose of wastewater closer to where it is collected.
“Previously, we had to travel all the way to the sewage ponds in Vingunguti and Kurasini. The distance increased the charges for customers and also raised our operating costs,” he said.
“These plants will allow us to dispose of sewage here in Kigamboni, reducing the costs we incur.”
The two facilities are expected to strengthen sanitation services in the rapidly growing district while shortening the distance sewage has to be transported for treatment.
The development could also ease pressure on existing wastewater facilities outside Kigamboni as the district's population and urban development continue to expand.
Dawasa says the projects are intended to bring wastewater treatment services closer to communities and improve the efficiency of sewage management in the district.