Power line in Dar es Saalam gives residents sigh of relief

Completion of the construction of a 33KV power line in Dar es Saalam will give the residents relief over water shortages.

The 45-km power line in Dar es Saalam was constructed from Chalinze sub-station to Mlandizi, where the newly built water treatment plant is located and is set to enable pumping of 196 million litres of water from Upper Ruvu Water Treatment Plant to the city daily.

The major plant which is expected to address the long existed water woes among city residents was last year expanded to make it produce more water from 82 million litres to 196 million litres.

However, since completion of the construction project mid last year, the plant was unable to produce its full potential owing to insufficient electricity to pump water, until last weekend when the power line was put in place.

The only work remaining now is to connect the new line to the plant so that all water pumps could function.

DAWASA expressed their gratitude to the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) for their cooperation and consultancy services that contributed to completion of the project.

Eng Gerson Lwenge, Minister for Water and Irrigation, last year said that with the completion of the project would see a total of 586 million litres of water produced for the city since the Lower Ruvu Water Treatment Plant now produces 390 million litres.

This would mean a surplus in the water needs for the city, which is currently at about 400 million litres per day. Minister Lwenge referred to the project as a big step ahead in ending water woes in the city.

He also said that since more water is going to be pumped, the government will move to focusing on improving water supply network because a large amount of water has been lost due to poor water supply infrastructure.