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Dec 31, 2006Keywords:
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Dar es Salaam Water Supply Problems and Possible Solutions: Reflections
Abstract
Dar es Salaam is the largest and most rapidly growing city, (with a growth rate of about 7% per annum) in Tanzania with an estimated population of over 2.8 million people. Like all Regional Headquarters Water Supplies and 'Water Supply to Dar es Salaam City residents is inadequate. Since 1982 water demand has exceeded total water production capacity of the three plants namely Mtoni; Upper Ruvu and Lower Ruvu. In 1989 the estimated water demand was about 289,760 m3fday while total estimated water production was about 239,560 m3/day. giving a deficit of 50,000 m3/day. Estimated production from the three plants is Mtoni 4,520 m3/day, Upper Ruvu 54,340 m3/day and lower 180,800 m3/day (Ministry of Water, 1989). The location of the plants and the main pipeline network is as shown of Figure 1 below. The problems of water supply can be those of quantity and invariably those of quality. There is not a doubt that the supplied quantity has been exceeded by the demand. In future this demand will be beyond what the present sources can ever supply. There is therefore a need to develop other augmentation systems through short term and long term plans. Under short term solutions shallow wells, boreholes and rain water harvesting should be considered. Long term solutions should include development of the Kizinga and Mzinga reservoirs which would release up to 1,000 m3/day. The development of the proposed Kidunda reservoir upstream of the present Ruvu intakes will enhance the supply up to 2.2 million m3/day which surpasses the year 2020 demand of about 1,000,000 m3/day. The quality of water from deep boreholes is usually of acceptable levels in terms of physical, chemical and bacteriological parameters. In some cases the quality does not meet the Tanzania Standard, therefore calls for treatment. Saline water intrusion is another problem to be tackled especially for ground water exploitation along the coastal belt. Shallow wells which are invariably from shallow aquifers are prone to pollution. It is therefore to be expected that their waters will need treatment. Often shallow wells do not produce water which meets the international standards in terms of chloride, nitrate and pathogenic organisms quality. This paper is an attempt to highlight the water problems facing the Dar es Salaam residents and propose possible solutions to the same. The paper points out the possible short and long term solutions.
