By David Kisanga
26th August 2013
Dawasco: Problem at Upper Ruvu plant yet to be fixed Residents: A bucket of the liquid now costs over 1,000/-
According to Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Company (Dawasco) the equipment for repair are expected to arrive in today from Sweden.
The technical problem at the power plant which occurred on August 10 this year has caused huge disruption to residents who are now forced to buy water per bucket at a price between 1000/- and 1200/- for residents in Kimara and Ubungo Msewe.
A spot survey conducted by the Guardian in different parts of Dar es Salaam, the problem was serious as residents are forced to spend much time and money to get the precious liquid.
A resident of Kimara King’ongo Sarah John going without water for two weeks has caused her to spend more money in searching for the liquid.
“I used to buy a bucket of water for 100/- or 200/- but now it is sold between 1000/- and 1200/- . The water vendors get the liquid from far away thus they are forced to hike the price so that they get profit,” she said.
Another resident of Ubungo Msewe Yusuf Omary said that he was forced to buy water per browser yesterday at 35,000/- instead of 15,000/- because the liquid is scarce.
“We don’t blame the vendors because they get it from far away and sometime they don’t get water for sale at all … we are really in trouble and if this problem will persist the situation is going to worsen.”
A water vendor at Kimara Kingo’ngo identified himself as Rashid Ally said that he buys water from the browser at 500/- thus he had to increase price so as to get profit since he walks long distance with his troll selling water.
Contacted yesterday for comments Dawasco Public Relation Manager Irene Makene told The Guardian that the problem will still continue until the problem was fixed.
“I admit that there is still a problem as our two water pumps have stopped working due to technical hitches at the Upper-Ruvu water plant,”she stressed.
Makene pointed out that equipments for repairing are expected to arrive today from Sweden and to be installed this week.
Makene underscored that the problem follows a technical problem at Upper Ruvu water plant in Mlandizi on Saturday August 10, when two of its four pre-lift pumps failed to operate.
Last week Dawasco in its statement issued by Makene said that the problem could be resolved either on Friday or Saturday last week but until yesterday people were still experiencing water shortages.
According to the statement the technical fault has resulted to a dropout of water pumped into the city and some parts of the Coastal region from 80 million litres to 50 million litres per day,” she explained.
A number of areas in Dar es Salaam, Kibaha and Mlandizi in the Coastal region have been affected with the supply of the liquid noting that the firm’s technicians were at the site to repair the defected pumps so as to return water supply on its usual routine.
Makene named other affected areas as Kibamba, Mbezi, Kimara, Ubungo, Chuo Kikuu, Kibangu, Riverside, Mandela Road, Tabata and Segerea.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN via IPPMEDIA.COM
