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The Dar es Salaam Water and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA) has announced that the third phase of the Chalinze water supply project is 96% complete.

Phase I of the Chalinze water supply project covers 20 villages, and was commissioned in 2003. Phase I is reported to have cost TShs 23.4 billion (approx. US$10 million).

Phase II of the project covers an additional 47 villages, and appears to have been completed in 2017. Phase II is reported to have cost TShs 53.7 billion (approx. US$23 million).

The targeted total population coverage for Phases I and II is 276,669.

The project’s third and final phase, which is ongoing, is scheduled for completion in February 2023. About 200,000 residents in Pwani, Tanga, and Morogoro regions stand to benefit from Phase III. The Government of Tanzania secured a Letter of Credit (LoC) for US$41,362,020 (approx. TShs 96.7 billion) from the Indian Government for execution of the Phase III works.

The Indian government-owned engineering consultancy, WAPCOS, was appointed to undertake preliminary design for Phase III and provide construction supervision services.

The scope of work under Phase III includes:

• Rehabilitation and extension of treatment plant by 800 cubic metres per hour (including rehabilitation of Intake, construction of one Clarifier, and filter).
• Construction of 19 storage water tanks and one clear water tank with capacity of 1,000 cubic metres.
• Construction of 2,000 cubic metres clear water tank at Mazizi hill.
• Construction of 499 water kiosks.
• Supply and laying water pipe network with approximate length of 1,139 kilometres both in transmission and distribution networks.
• Rehabilitation / upgrading of existing unit at treatment plant and at all the existing and under-construction booster stations.
• Installation of 21 fire hydrants.

“We are still carrying out the remaining work, including the construction of the pumping stations,” said Dhaval Soni, the Project Manager for Afcons, an Indian construction contractor working on the project. 

Afcons is constructing:
 
 • A pipeline (DI and HDPE) network of 194.7 kilometres.
 • 9 Ground Service Reservoirs (GSR) and 9 Elevated Service Reservoirs (ESR).
 • 10 Submersible/Centrifugal Pumps for supply.
 • 28 Submersible/Centrifugal Pumps for testing and commissioning.
 • 53 water kiosks and conducting balance works on 298 water kiosks.

Afcons is also rehabilitating and upgrading the existing water treatment facility at the Wami treatment plant, at which will raw water will be processed. The treated water reservoirs will have storage capacities ranging from 500 cubic metres to 2,000 cubic metres.

On completion, the rehabilitated Wami water treatment plant will have a capacity of 900 cubic metres per day compared to its current 500 cubic metres, and drinking water will be distributed through a 194.7-kilometre pipeline network. 

“So far, the implementation is going well, and a lot of works are done within the scheduled time. The remaining work is now to install the pumps at the Wami Plant. The pumps have arrived, and the remaining exercise is just to install,” said Engineer Cyril Luhemeja, the Chief Executive Officer of DAWASA. 

Luhemeja added that on completion, the contractor would conduct a trial run of water through the systems by the end of February to ensure that clean water is soon available to residents. So far, a 1,268-kilometre water supply network has been constructed, and 351 water extraction cages are complete.

“We thank the government under the leadership of President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan for providing 70 billion shillings to implement this project which has reached the final stages,” said Luhemeja. 

He said the regions that will benefit from the project include Tanga, Mkata, Bwawani, Kiwangwa, Msata, Miono, Magomeni, Vigwaza, Tarawanda, Bwirigu wards. Others are Ubena Zomozi, Mbwewe, Lugoba, Fukayose, Mpera, Msoga Kimange, Mandela, Gwata, Magingu, Kwa Sungu, Ngerengere and Kidugalo.

Top Photo: An Elevated Service Reservoir constructed by Afcons on the Chalinze water supply project (afcons.com)