Dawasa, dawasco merger plans in advanced stages

By BETRAM LENGAMA

DAR ES SALAAM Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) and Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Corporation (DAWASCO) will merge by July this year to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs, the Deputy Minister for Water and Irrigation, Jumaa Aweso has said.

He said in Dar es Salaam yesterday at the end of his five-day tour of the city to inspect execution of water projects that preparations for the merger of two entities were progressing well and were expected to be completed in July this year.
He disclosed that the merging of Dawasa and Dawasco was aimed at improving efficiency and reducing operational costs so as to increase supply of safe and clean water and control outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
He said the merging of the two bodies was vital and cautioned Dawasco and Dawasa workers against temptations of sabotaging the process and tarnishing the image of each other for personal gains. He said they would better let the process take its right course.
"The merging should not bring conflict between Dawasa and Dawasco. They need to work together to see how they can improve the new water authority as well ensuring the people of Dar es salaam are guaranteed access to clean and safe water,” he said.
Dawasa and Dawasco managements and employees yesterday held a meeting with the Deputy Minister who informed them about the merging before the minister toured the Ruvu Juu water plant expansion project which has already been completed.
During his tour to the plant, the Deputy Minister expressed appreciation of the investment and good job done by Dawasa and government in effort to improve supply of safe and clean water in Dar es Salaam and Coast regions He also instructed Dawasa and Dawasco to fight against hooligans who destroy water infrastructures built and make sure they are well protected.
He also instructed them to work on problems of water leakages. According to Dawasa Director of Technical Services, Modester Mushi the expansion of Ruvu Juu water plant has increased water production capacity of the plant from 82,000 to 196,000 litres per day which has eased the water problem in Dar es Salaam
. Apart from the project also Dawasa had implemented another mega project following the construction of a 10 million capacity water tank at Kibamba on the outskirt of Dar es Salaam city which also is among the effort by the entity to resolve the region water blues especially in areas facing acute water problems such as Kigamboni, Temeke, Segerea and Ukonga constituency to name a few.
On his side Dawasco Chief Executive Officer, Cyprian Luhemeja said that they were doing well in improving supply of clean and safe water in Dar es Salaam and Coast regions. The aim is to end the problem of water scarcity by 2020 to 2025 as they are building water network to areas which had no network and renovating the old ones