Domestic water shortage and household coping mechanisms in the city of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper assesses households’ mechanisms to cope with water shortages in Dar es Salaam City. Using 2009 data collected through  questionnaires, interviews, observation, and focus group discussion administered to 105 households including 43 (41%) males and 62  (59%) females it has been revealed that water shortage in the city is grounded in deterioration of water infrastructures, poor governance  at the local level, population increase and urbanization, poor revenue collection and illegal water connection. As a result, household  members have to find out alternatives to access the water. Common mechanisms to cope with the situation include drilling of boreholes  and wells, rainwater harvesting, buying water from street water vendors, changes in water consumption patterns, buying of many  storage facilities and walking long distance in searching for water. However, such mechanisms vary from one area to another. Moreover,  while some strategies have long term measurable demographic consequences, others are not. These drawbacks suggest the need for  more efforts to be directed towards creation of awareness to community on rainwater harvesting; construction of large reservoirs which  will be used to store large volume of water that will help during water deprivation days. Further, DAWASCO and local community should  protect water infrastructures against those who practice illegal connections.