Dar es Salaam will spend over 820 million Tanzanian Shillings to stop the city’s sewage flowing into the Indian Ocean by employing the same system used in Durban, South Africa.

The Minister for Water, Professor Jumanne Maghembe, said that under the new set up, which will cost $409 million, all sewage that flows freely from Dar es Salaam households and institutions before being channelled into the sea will be stopped and recycled before the end of this year.

The Durban metro water treatment system is cited to be among the most successful water treatment and recycling structure in Africa and Dar es Salaam is soon going to emulate that.

Also mapped along the Indian Ocean coastline, Durban is said to have the cleanest beaches on the continent.

Prof Maghembe made the comments when he inaugurated the new Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) Board of Directors in Arusha, stressing the need to boost water supply in rural areas.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Engineer Bashir Mrindokom, said the government plans to spend $1.4 billion to improve water supply in Dar es Salaam, with focus on ensuring that the city gets access to safe and clean water by 100 per cent come 2016.

“As of now, the average access to safe and clean water in urban areas stands at 89% and 58% in rural communities but even in this it is only Dar es Salaam which has 69%,” he revealed. He said the government’s plan is also to ensure that rural communities are covered by at least 75% by 2016.

The new DAWASA board which the minister launched here is led by Dr Eve Hawa Sinare as its chairperson who said all board members have been given training on how to properly conduct their duties.

–Tanzania Daily News