DAR ES SALAAM: A FIVE-DAY operation on causes of water woes in Dar es Salaam by the Minister for Water, Jumaa Aweso is paying off after the authority started to fill all reserve tanks with water.
The water reserve tanks were recently found empty without any specific reasons.
Tegete A, Mshikamano, the University of Dar es Salam tank and Luguruni are among the tanks that were previously empty – a situation that caused water shortage in various parts of the city.
According to the minister, Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA) executives’ laxity and irresponsibility were the root causes of the shortfall.
In response, the minister took various measures including suspending several executives from the authority including Acting Chief Executive Office, Mr Kiula Kingu, Director of Production and Distribution Shaban Mkwanywe and Kinyerezi DAWASA Manager, Burton Mwalupaso.
However, after inspecting various areas as part of his operation on the causes of water woes in the region, the minister appointed Engineer Mkama Bwire as the authority’s new boss.
Prior to his current position as Acting Chief Executive Officer of the authority, Eng Bwire was the Director of Water Supply and Sanitation at the Rural Water Sanitation Agency (RUWASA).
Speaking on Wednesday evening in a special meeting with the DAWASA Board of Directors held in Dar es Salaam, the minister vowed to continue working with people who are ready to work, while stressing that he will not hesitate to take swift measures against officials who negligently fail the government.
“We will keep working with people who are ready to work; I will not hesitate to take swift measures against any negligent executive.”
He also directed the management team to liaise with their subordinates and to ensure they uphold good relationships and increase efficiency.
Also Read: Aweso directs Dawasa to address water blues
Earlier, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mwajuma Waziri paid a two-day inspection visit to the Upper and Lower Ruvu Water Treatment Plant and some of the areas in the city.
During her visit in the Upper Ruvu, which is supposed to produce 180 million litres of water per day, the PS found out that some pumps were not working and leakages were leading to the water loss.
“It appears that several water chambers were leaking, indicating that there was no oversight in the areas. Urban water supplies had also been impacted by the poor management,” the PS told the minister.
She also told the minister that there are also illicit connections, especially in some cases, where some people were using authority pipelines to irrigate their crops.
According to her, the authority currently produces 320 million litres per day due to poor control of water loss, instead of actual capacity of 590 million litres per day, and this still result in a deficit of 270 litres.
The PS’ report triggered the minister of the docket Mr Aweso to pay an impromptu visit to the water reserve tanks to observe the status of water.
However, during his visit, the minister found that several tanks were entirely empty while other pipelines had leaks, but no one seemed to be concerned.
Mr Aweso decided to suspend the DAWASA boss and put the authority under direct supervision of the docket.
