Tanzania's Commercial Capital Imposes Water Restrictions

Authorities have imposed water restrictions in one of Africa's largest and fastest-growing cities, blaming the dry weather and falling river levels.

Many of the more than 6 million inhabitants of Dar es Salaam, the commercial centre of Tanzania, claim that thousands of houses have been without water for weeks.

Jumaa Aweso, the nation's minister of water, claimed that the city's water authority has been attempting to improve supply from the troubled Lower Ruvu water treatment facility.

As frustration increases. Victor Musa, a resident, claimed that "I have no water" and that it had been three days. Even the rationing system, he claimed, is flawed because his family and other families only had access to the last batch of water for 20 minutes.

After the city went without water for days last year, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa toured the water treatment facilities. Authorities have been ordered by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to make sure that water sources are guarded from encroachment.

The city's water authority has come under fire from civil society organisations for the rate at which water is lost as a result of unauthorised connections and other issues.