On 11th November 2022 Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan inaugurated the Kigamboni-Kimbiji water project that will supply 70 million litres of water a day to Dar es Salaam.
The project is implemented by the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) and will serve 250,000 residents of the Kigamboni and Kimbiji districts of Dar es Salaam and includes a pump to extract underground water from a deep well (450 m).
During the event, President Samia also announced that the Government is going to implement the construction of the Kidunda dam in the Morogoro region which will be used to collect rainwater.
The dam worth TZS 329 billion will be built using local funds to enable the availability of water for the entire year in the city of Dar es Salaam and the areas of the coastal region that currently depend on the water from the Ruvu river.
The construction of the dam will be implemented over a period of three years from 2022 to 2025.
Dar es Salaam Water Demand & Supply
Currently, the water demand of Dar es Salaam’s 6 million inhabitants stands at 544 million liters per day, against a supply capacity of 520 million liters daily.
The main sources of water in Dar es Salaam are Lower Ruvu and Upper Ruvu plants in the Ruvu River, and Mtoni Plant on the Kizinga River, as well as groundwater.
However, rains have been scarce recently, resulting in a drop in the level of the Ruvu River and water rationing.
The Kidunda Dam Project
The Kidunda Dam on Ruvu River aimes to regulate flow and improve reliability of the main water supply source of Dar es Salaam.
The dam is proposed to augment low flows in the river system during critical periods, to allow uninterrupted supply to the two water treatment works supplying the city.
The project has been delaied several years, in part due to concerns that the it will negatively impact the flow of water in Rufiji River and eventually affect the flora and fauna in the Selous Game Reserve, the largest protected game reserve on the African continent.
