Rukwa gets 15bn/- for water projects

Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) in Rukwa Region has received 15.6bn/- for various water projects between March, 2021 and February this year.

Rukwa Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS) Mr Gerald Kusaya revealed that recently while opening a seven-day training initiated by Ruwasa in Rukwa Region for 200 water service providers to manage Community Based Water Supply Organizations CBWSOs in Rukwa and Katavi regions.

Mr Kusaya was representing Rukwa Regional Commissioner Ms Queen Sendiga at the training facilitated by the Ministry of Water.

He said   the training will help in enhancing the CBWSOs efficiency.

Mr Kusaya   further said that government commitment to ensure access to water in rural areas is part and parcel of the implementation of Chama Cha Mapinduzi election manifesto of 2020-2025.

The manifesto has set a target of attaining water availability in rural areas by 85 per cent and 95 percent in urban areas come 2025.

“However, water availability in the region’s rural areas is 86 per cent and 71 percent in urban areas…RUWASA is still having a  huge task ahead to ensure that  the party’s  target is attained  by 2025,” the RAS said.

Mr Kusaya further explained that the region through RUWASA continues to establish and strengthen the Community Based Water Supply Organisations (CBWSOs) for enhancing the sustainability of rural water supply and sanitation services.

“CBWSOs have great responsibilities to ensure revenues collected from the contribution of water services are spent properly,” he said.

In the same vein, Mr Kusaya urged water service providers to ensure that revenue and expenditure reports of the fund collected through CBWSOs are made public.

On his part, Rukwa Regional RUWASA Manager, Engineer Boaz Matundali said the agency was established by the new Water Supply and Sanitation Act No. 5 of 2019 and became effective on 01 July 2019.

Eng Matundali further explained that, since the establishment of the agency Rukwa has managed to establish 41 CBWSOS which are recognised by the National Water Policy of 2002.

“These 41 CBWSOs  have been established according Water Services and Environmental Sanitation Act no 5 of 2019 ,Section 32(1) which have given the authority  power to own, planning and managing all  activities of water provision in rural settings” he noted .

Giving a breakdown, Eng Matundali said Kalambo District has 18 CBWSOs, Nkasi 12 and Sumbawanga 11.

The government has placed much focus in the improvement of water provision services as articulated in the FYPD III 2021/2022-2025/2026 with the 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 Organisations (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.

Earlier a facilitator, Engineer Barbas Tuligunga said the training aims at empowering the water service providers at the grassroots level on how to manage the CBWSOs.

“The objective of the training organised by RUWASA in Rukwa is to empower the water services providers to make sure CBWSOs are implemented efficiently and bear the expected fruits to the community,” he said.