Kidunda dam project construction at 27pc complete

MOROGORO — Construction of the multipurpose Kidunda Dam project in the Morogoro region is 27 percent complete, officials said Thursday.

The dam is designed to stabilize the water supply, particularly for the Dar es Salaam and Pwani regions, mitigate flooding, and enhance fishing and agriculture, among other benefits.

The Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA), the project’s implementing agency, said the multi-billion-shilling initiative will be a game changer for Dar es Salaam and Pwani, where demand for water continues to rise.

Government data shows that in 2024, the total area served by DAWASA had a population of 6.77 million people requiring at least 685,677 cubic meters of water daily. However, DAWASA’s water supply capacity has remained at 534,600 cubic meters per day since 2022.

Acting CEO Eng. Mkama Bwire told editors at the construction site that DAWASA projects water demand to reach 627,600 cubic meters per day by 2026 and up to 2.1 million litres daily by 2050.

“We have a population growth crisis,” Bwire said. “In Pwani, for instance, water demand has surged due to the increase in industries and human activities in the region.”

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He noted that while demand for water is rising, climate change and expanding human activities near water sources pose significant challenges. “Our immediate solution is the Kidunda Dam … this project has been on paper since 1961,” he said. “We are grateful that the government is now implementing it.”

Christian Christopher, DAWASA’s Kidunda Dam project manager, said the dam will help prevent water shortages similar to those experienced during droughts in 1997, 2021, and 2022. During those periods, water levels at both the Upper and Lower Ruvu intakes dropped significantly, forcing machinery to be shut down. The intakes on the banks of the Ruvu river is a lifeline for Dar es Salaam and Pwani residents accounting for 87 per cent of water supplied.

“With this dam, we will be able to control water flow, particularly during rainy and drought seasons,” Christopher said. The project includes construction of a hydropower station that will generate 20 megawatts and a 132-kilovolt power distribution line. It also involves building a 75-kilometer-long gravel road.

Christopher said the project has created more than 2,200 jobs and is expected to be completed by June 2026.

Meanwhile, Wami/Ruvu Basin Water Board Executive Director representative, Janeth Kisoma said the board is in the final stages of declaring the Kidunda Dam area a water source and wetland. The designation will enable authorities to enforce laws to protect and preserve the site.