BY FILBERT RWEYEMAMU
ARUSHA’S long-running search for additional water sources has once again brought Lake Duluti into focus, with the Pangani Basin Water Board (PBWB) planning fresh studies to determine whether the crater lake could sustainably supplement supplies to Arusha City and parts of Arumeru.
PBWB Director, Segule Segule, said any future abstraction from the lake would depend on detailed scientific studies establishing how much water it receives naturally, the amount that could safely be drawn and whether such use would threaten its long-term survival.
He was speaking during a visit by members of the PBWB Board of Directors on August 20, 2026, to inspect conservation and water-monitoring activities at Lake Duluti.
“If the studies show that Lake Duluti can meet part of the required demand while continuing to sustain itself, then it can be considered,” Segule said.
He added that no water infrastructure project could proceed without first establishing the quantity required against the amount naturally replenished.
The caution reflects the unusual hydrology of Lake Duluti, which has no rivers flowing into it and relies heavily on groundwater and rainfall.
The possibility of tapping the lake for Arusha’s water supply is not new. A 2011 Arusha urban development report listed Lake Duluti among possible additional sources being considered by the Arusha Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (AUWSA), alongside new boreholes and other sources, as the city struggled to keep pace with growing demand.
Scientific interest in the proposal continued in later years. Research by the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) into Lake Duluti’s hydrology found that groundwater plays a major role in sustaining the lake and that there was significant interaction between the lake and surrounding aquifers.
The findings raised the importance of carefully assessing any future abstraction, since excessive pumping from either the lake or nearby groundwater sources could affect the wider hydrological system.
Arusha’s search for additional water has been driven largely by population growth, urban expansion and the extension of water services to surrounding settlements.
AUWSA figures published for 2020 showed daily water demand had risen to about 121,459 cubic meters, while production at the time fluctuated between approximately 50,000 cubic meters during the dry season and 65,000 cubic metres during rains.
The authority’s supplies come from a combination of springs, rivers and boreholes, while parts of the distribution network have also required rehabilitation and expansion to serve a growing population.
Segule said the latest assessment would therefore focus not only on whether Lake Duluti contains water that could be utilised, but also whether doing so would be environmentally sustainable.
PBWB Board Chairperson, Eng Ruth Koya, said the Board’s visit was also intended to assess how management was implementing directives on the protection and monitoring of water sources.
She described Lake Duluti as an important and unique resource which required special attention to conserve. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Water Director of Water Resources, Mr Robert Sunday, stressed the need for cooperation between sectors responsible for water, environmental conservation and tourism.
He said sustainable management of water resources was essential not only for domestic supply, but also for economic development and protection of natural attractions.
