Tanzania strikes gold in its rich groundwater reserves
DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government has handed over modern groundwater exploration equipment worth over 5bn/- to Basin Water Directors as part of its commitment to increasing water accessibility through scientific research and cutting-edge technology.
The equipment, purchased using COVID-19 relief funds provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), was officially handed over today, May 9, 2025, in Dodoma by Minister for Water, Mr Juma Aweso.
The tools will be distributed across eight major water basins in the country, namely Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Wami-Ruvu, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Rufiji, and the Central Basin.
One set will remain at the Ministry’s headquarters in Dodoma to facilitate ongoing research by the Water Resources Department, aimed at addressing the growing demand for water in the capital city.
Mr Aweso said the equipment’s arrival marks a new era in groundwater research and is expected to greatly assist experts in identifying underground water sources that benefit Tanzanians.
“The country has an estimated 21 billion cubic metres of groundwater, but most remains untapped due to inadequate technology and a lack of precise surveys. Places such as Liwale and Kilindi were once assumed dry until detailed studies proved otherwise,” he noted.
He stressed that with the newly acquired technology, the Water Ministry now has no excuse for failing to locate water sources, urging basin experts to ensure the tools are fully utilised.
“This equipment is not meant to sit in boxes or cabinets waiting for top officials to visit before being displayed. You are experts, and I trust your capabilities. You’ve already demonstrated success in tackling tough areas. Let’s focus now and ensure all remaining villages get access to clean water,” he said.
Mr Aweso singled out areas such as Mkonze, Nala, Nzuguni, and Ilazo in Dodoma for intensified groundwater surveys due to growing water demand driven by population increase.
He urged basin directors to ensure the equipment is used for its intended purpose and reflects President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s commitment to ensuring clean and safe water for all Tanzanians.
“Let’s focus our energy on the remaining 1,500 villages. Through the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), we have already reached over 10,500 out of 12,318 villages. The rigs and advanced equipment are here, let’s use them to complete the mission of lifting off the bucket from a woman’s head,” he insisted.
The minister further instructed the Water Authorities to invest more in building research capacity to enable technical teams to quickly detect viable groundwater locations, both in urban and rural areas.
On his part, the Director of Water Resources, Dr George Lugomela,commended the government for enabling the ministry to acquire the state-of-the-art tools that are set to boost the efficiency of groundwater surveys.
However, Dr Lugomela also raised concern over limited tools and infrastructure at basin offices, noting that most of them operate with only three to four sub-offices, which are often located far from the basin headquarters and lack essential groundwater research equipment.
“We appeal for more support in acquiring additional tools to enhance our efficiency in groundwater research and well drilling operations,”he said.
The types of equipment purchased includes a magnetometer for detecting fractures within rock formations, a terrameter for water detection, a deeper device for measuring water depth, a tool for tracing underground water flow, and a GPS device for recording geographical coordinates.
