Supplying Domestic Water Services to Informal Settlements in Manzese, Dar es Salaam: Challenges and Way Forward

TL;DR: In this article, a study on domestic water supply services in informal settlements in Manzese slums in South-West Tanzania has been conducted, which revealed that domestic water services in the area are unreliable, difficult to access and too expensive for many users.

Abstract: This article is based on study on domestic water supply services in informal settlements in Manzese slums. The study revealed that the state of domestic water supply services in the area is not promising as water supply services are unreliable, difficult to access and too expensive for many users. The bleak situation highlighted is attributed to several challenges including poor and old water infrastructures, sabotage of water infrastructure, illegal water connections, unreliable water sources, unregulated water services provision, rapid growth in demand of water services, limited participation of the Manzese community in water supply related projects and lateral expansion of cities that require costly infrastructure. On the basis of the challenges revealed the article recommends that there should be deliberate efforts by the government and development partners to vastly improve water infrastructures in informal settlements, empower people to take advantage of rational water shortage coping mechanisms, enhance local community involvement in water supply projects to heighten their sense of ownership , and improve water supply services governance in terms of transparency, accountability and enforcement of bylaws set to protect water infrastructures and collection of revenue.