Massive improvement in water supply in Tanzania

TANZANIA has taken a huge leap in the provision of water services, with increased access to the precious liquid considerably easing the water-fetching burden especially among women.

The success is evident all over the country, with several mega water projects being executed by the government. While some of these projects have been completed, others are in their final stages of completion.

Access to clean and safe water has increased tremendously from 25 per cent in 1961 to 86 per cent in 2021, making a huge leap in the sector as the nation celebrates 61 years of independence.

Access to water services in rural areas has increased due to various government initiatives to end water woes in the country. The initiatives have led to an increase in water access by 74.5 per cent in June this year from 64.8 per cent in 2019.

Director General for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) Engineer Clement Kivegalo said recently that the number of villages with access to water service has raised to 9,029, compared to June 2019, whereby the number of villages that had access to water services stood at 6,082.

“Currently, as I speak … the water service in rural areas is available through 143,767 water collection points and 169,043 household connections,” he said.

Ruling party CCM’s election manifesto of 2020-2025 has set a goal of reaching at least 85 per cent by 2025 in ensuring the accessibility of water in rural areas, and to achieve that goal, requires an average increase of 3.7 per cent of water service per year, which demands an average of 550bn/- per year according to Third National Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP III) 2021/2026.

“Out of 1,258 projects developed after RUWASA was established in July 2019 to June 2022, at least 604 projects have been completed benefiting approximately 1,673 villages with about 2,820,180 villagers, while the cost of completed projects stands at 260.4bn/-.” RUWASA DG said.

The agency was established by the new Water Supply and Sanitation Act No. 5 of 2019, which became effective on 01 July 2019.

The government has placed much focus in the improvement of water provision services as articulated in the FYPD III 2021/2022-2025/2026 with a theme; “Realising Competitiveness and Industrialisation for Human Development. FYDP III points out that water and sanitation health are some of the key ingredients for human development.

This sector involves the availability and distribution of water and the protection of water sources and resource environment. In this regard, this plan focuses on improving the availability and distribution of water supplies and sanitation services in urban and rural areas, and protection of water sources and resource environment.

Key interventions include strengthening supply infrastructures for clean and safe water, establishing and strengthening the Community Based Water Supply Organizations (CBWSOs) for enhancing the sustainability of rural water supply and sanitation services and promoting appropriate technologies for further treatment of effluent and sludge for recycling and re-use purposes.

Eng Kivegalo further noted that the agency also recorded great strides in constructing water projects by completing 147 projects out of 177 projects which had a great challenge in water services delivery in rural areas, while 621 projects have been completed and been received out of 632 from different councils.

He also highlighted some challenges that cripple the pace of the agency to attain its target in the provision of water services in rural areas.

“Climate change, urbanisation, population growth and scattered settlement are the challenges troubling the pace of the agency to reach the SDG6 target,” he added Mr Kivegalo said the challenges impede the agency’s determination to reach Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) which is about “clean water and sanitation for all” including urbanisation, climate change, population growth and settled settlement.

The Minister for Water, Mr Jumaa Aweso said last year while outlining his ministry’s achievements, challenges and way forward towards the 60th Independence Anniversary commemorations on December 9th, 2021 that Tanzania is making remarkable strides in provision of clean, safe and reliable water services.

According to Mr Aweso, over the years the ministry has been carrying out major institutional, financial and technical reforms for the country to acquire a sustainable water supply.

“By October 2021, a total of 96 water utilities had been established in major cities, sub-cities and national projects in ensuring water services are readily accessible at a close proximity to the people. “As for the rural areas, there are about 2,115 rural water supply agencies comprising 1,362 accountants and 1,611 technical staff,” said Mr Aweso.

The minister outlined the various projects which have enhanced water service delivery including the Lake Victoria Water Supply Project in Kahama and Shinyanga regions and the improvement of water supply services in Dar es Salaam featuring the Upper and Lower Ruvu plant and laying down of the main pipeline.

Others are Lake Victoria Water Supply Project to Isaka and Kagongwa, Lake Victoria water Supply Project to the towns of Tabora – Igunga – Nzega, Lindi Town Water Project, water and sanitation projects in Mwanza, Mbeya and Iringa, and the Kigoma Water and Sanitation Project.

The rest are water projects in Kibamba-Kisarawe, Misungwi, Nansio Ukerewe, Longido, Lamadi, Bokwa and Sengerema.

Highlighting the ministry’s current direction, he said the docket was committed to attaining the country’s Development Vision 2025, which envisages 95 percent water access in urban areas and 85 per cent in rural settings.

The ministry is equally determined to ensure sustainable water resources by protecting, maintaining, developing as well as finding new water sources.

In response to the effects of climate change, he pointed out the ministry plans to build large dams including Farkwa, Kidunda, Songwe and Ndembera / Lugoda and medium-sized dams (Dongo) in various parts of the country.

In addition, the government is continuing with the implementation of water service improvement projects in Dodoma, Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Mwanza, Mara, Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Mtwara and Kagera regions.

On the other hand, the minister outlined plans for implementing water projects through the utilization of reliable water sources including Great Lakes like the Tanganyika, Nyasa and Victoria and major rivers such as the Ruvuma, Rufiji, Kiwira, Songwe and Kagera rivers.

He said that the projects will involve the construction of a water transportation network from areas with large water sources and supply it to scarce areas (Intra Basin Water Transfer (IBWT).

Such projects involve the supply of water from River Kiwira to Mbeya City, River Ruvuma that will supply water to Masasi, Mtwara, Nanyamba and Nanyumbu towns and Lake Nyasa projects that will supply water to at least 150,000 residents in 30 villages in the surrounding areas.

Other projects include Lake Victoria, which is expected to serve Simiyu, Geita and Mwanza regions, reaching out at least 2, 854,200 citizens in 300 villages and Lake Tanganyika project to cover Katavi, Kigoma and Rukwa regions and benefit about 616,000 residents in 73 villages.

Mr Aweso also noted the 500 million US dollar concessional loan from Exim Bank of India has been secured for the implementation of water projects in 28 towns in Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The beneficiaries of the project include towns such as Kasulu, Kayanga-Omurushaka, Mpanda, Kilwa Masoko, Muheza, Handeni, Korogwe, Pangani, Tarime, Rorya, Mafinga, Songea, Makonde, Urambo, Sikonge, Wanging’ombe, Makambako, Ifakara, Chemba, Chamwino, Geita, Mugumu, Rujewa, Chunya, Njombe, Manyoni, Kiomboi and Singida.

The government in collaboration with the development partners is implementing various projects through payper-view programmes aimed at ensuring the sustainability of rural water projects.

According to Minister Aweso, the government in collaboration with the World Bank is implementing a six-year (2019-2024) Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme in 17 Regions and 86 Councils.

In the program, 817.29bn/- has been set aside for rehabilitation, expansion of water infrastructure and construction of new projects.