Dar es Salaam’s water and sewerage system received a boost today with the award of a 10-year lease contract for the management and operation of the Dar es Salaam water and sewerage system to City Water Services, a joint venture formed by British water company Biwater, German engineering consultancy, Gauff Ingenieure and a local investor.
The lease contract is for the management of Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority’s (DAWASA) current operations in Dar es Salaam, Kibaha and Bagamoyo districts covering a population of over 3 million people.
Associated with the lease contract is a substantial Capital Investment Programme which includes over $US160m of funding from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the European Investment Bank and City Water Services.
A spokesperson said the joint venture will be making every effort to improve the access and efficiency of existing water and sewerage systems as quickly as possible, and added that the objective of the 10-year contract was to provide a reliable, long-term solution.
‘The problems of Dar es Salaam’s water and wastewater services cannot be solved overnight. City Water Services is determined to deliver the quality infrastructure Dar es Salaam, Kibaha and Bagamoyo deserves, which will take time, hard work and consistent effort. The award of this contract is the first significant step in this process.’
Following the signing of the contract today, City Water Services will undertake a detailed review of DAWASA’s current systems and operations, and the Government of Tanzania will finalise the funding for the Capital Investment Programme. Once these processes are complete, City Water Services will become responsible for the water and sewerage systems in and around Dar es Salaam.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Biwater Plc was established in 1968 and has grown from its construction and manufacturing foundations in the UK to encompass the full spectrum of water and sewerage treatment and engineering. The company is at the forefront of private sector participation around the world.
2. Biwater’s expertise includes:
· water and wastewater process engineering
· water and wastewater treatment
· civil engineering
· water infrastructure investment & operation
· water asset management
· water leisure facilities design and construction
3. Biwater operates as a group of companies, utilising the latest information technology and communication systems to share the company’s wealth of experience and specialist expertise worldwide. Biwater Plc’s turnover for 2002 was £110.4M.
4. Gauff Ingenieure, an independent and innovative company of consulting engineers, offers multi-disciplinary and integrated consulting services. Currently it ranks among the top 100 international design firms worldwide (Engineering News Record July 2002). The company’s reputation has been achieved by providing high quality professional engineering services.
5. Gauff Ingenieure is a member of the Gauff Group, a network of independent consulting companies with access to a resource pool of about 600 professionals, as well as universities, research institutes and financing experts.
