Prisca Ntaula, the mother of a seven-year-old boy, has not slept properly for weeks. A resident of Temboni on the outskirts of Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, she now spends most of her days and nights thinking about where to find water.

For nearly three weeks, taps in her neighbourhood have run dry, forcing her into a daily struggle to secure enough water for drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene.

“Since the water shortage began, I have spent most of my time searching for water,” Ntaula says, her voice heavy with exhaustion. “I have stopped washing clothes altogether. The little I get, about 10 to 20 litres, is only for drinking and cooking. If this continues, we may start seeing outbreaks of diseases like cholera,” said the single parent.

The burden is compounded by soaring costs. According to Ntaula, the cost of a 1,000-litre water delivery has risen from Tsh20,000 (about $8.2) to Tsh30,000 (about $11.7 ) in just a few weeks, putting it increasingly out of reach for low-income households.

Ntaula said she has already exhausted the money she had saved to enrol her son in school in January 2026.

“I have spent all my money buying water,” Ntaula, a food vendor, says. Rising temperatures have made the situation even more unbearable.

“Because of the heat, my son and I have almost spent sleepless nights,” she explains. “Even when you manage to find water, the heat drains you.”

Ntaula’s experience mirrors that of millions of residents in Dar es Salaam, a bustling port city of more than 5.3 million people. Prolonged dry conditions and intensifying heat have reduced flows in the Ruvu River, the city’s primary source of domestic and industrial water, turning daily life into a relentless search for an increasingly scarce resource.

From dawn to dusk, residents clutching yellow jerrycans line up at boreholes while water bowsers rumble through neighbourhoods, chased by desperate customers. The crisis began in early December after the Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA) warned of major supply disruptions across much of the city and the neighbouring Coast Region.

On November 6, DAWASA attributed the shortages to sharply reduced water levels in the Ruvu River caused by delayed rainfall following an extended dry spell. Production at the Lower Ruvu water treatment plant fell well below normal levels, cutting supplies to large sections of the city.

“Water service shortages have occurred in many areas due to reduced production linked to the drop in the Ruvu River’s water level following delayed rains,” DAWASA said in a public notice. To cushion the impact, DAWASA, working with the Ministry of Water, imposed restrictions on the use of Ruvu River water for agriculture and prioritised human consumption. Groundwater wells across the city were rehabilitated and connected to the network to supplement the supply. Even so, the measures have struggled to meet surging demand.

The shortages have also reshaped Dar es Salaam’s informal water economy. For vendors like Novatus Kimaro, demand has surged sharply, bringing brisk business but also raising concerns about affordability.

“Since the shortage began, I raised the price of a 1,000-litre water bowser from Tsh20,000 to Tsh30,000,” Kimaro said as his phone rang furiously with customer orders.

“The price hike hasn’t stopped anyone. I get calls from morning until night.” Behind the water crisis lies an intense heatwave gripping vast parts of Tanzania.

On November 28, the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) issued an alert warning of persistent extreme heat, particularly in areas with bimodal rainfall patterns after months of rising temperatures and below-average rainfall.

Meteorological data from late November showed unusually high readings across the country. Moshi station in the Kilimanjaro Region recorded a maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius on November 21, about 4.2 degrees above the seasonal average. TMA said high atmospheric moisture, especially along the coast due to evaporation from the Indian Ocean, has intensified heat stress.

While December rains are expected to ease heat and water stress in some regions, authorities urged the public to closely monitor weather updates and heed advisories.

On December 13, DAWASA introduced a water rationing schedule for Dar es Salaam, calling on residents to conserve available supplies strictly for essential use. As the parched Ruvu River and relentless heat strain urban life, concerns are also growing over broader food security risks.

On December 15, Tanzanian Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba told citizens to conserve food stocks and avoid waste against the backdrop of delays in the onset of the long rains. He cited forecasts indicating below-average rainfall in several regions, marked by prolonged dry spells and uneven distribution. The government has also stepped up long-term investments to strengthen water security.

On December 29, Nchemba directed the Ministry of Water to fast-track completion of the Kidunda Dam, valued at Tsh336 billion (about $136 million), which is 40 per cent complete.

Minister of Water Jumaa Aweso said climate change has sharply reduced water production by DAWASA from 534,600 cubic metres per day to 270,000 cubic metres – a shortfall of 264,600 cubic metres daily. To mitigate the situation, Aweso said, the government has rehabilitated and connected boreholes within DAWASA’s service area and restored the Ruvu River to its natural course at Kitomondo.

For residents like Prisca Ntaula, these projects offer hope, but relief feels distant. As water scarcity, rising temperatures and food security concerns converge, Tanzania’s largest city is confronting the daily realities of climate change, one bucket of water at a time.

• A Tell Media report / By Chris Mburu – Xinhua News Agency Feature