Water authorities must pull up their socks

WATER is a fundamental human right, and recognisant of that, the government has been injecting substantial amount of funds to finance mega water projects to ensure availability of this precious resource.

While statistics points to improve water supply across the country, thanks to this government’s huge commitment, yet many citizens, particularly in urban areas, especially Dar es Salaam, continue to grapple with erratic and inadequate water supply in their homes.

City and rural dwellers often report going for days, sometimes even weeks, without a consistent flow of water. This is unacceptable because access to clean water is essential for both health and economic stability. Citizens’ grievances highlight several critical issues.

First, there is the irregularity of the water supply. Despite assurances and promises, some areas receive water for only a few hours per day, or in some cases, just once or twice a week.

For many, this limited availability forces them to resort to expensive alternatives, such as buying water from street vendors, placing an additional cost on households whilst jeopardising their health and safety.

The ongoing complaints against water authorities regarding poor water availability, which threatens the daily lives and livelihoods of Tanzanians, must be taken seriously by those responsible for managing these authorities.

Several times, we have witnessed Water Minister Jumaa Aweso conducting impromptu inspection tours to assess the efficiency of various water projects and water availability in different parts of the country.

These visits have often resulted in the suspension of officials for failing to effectively execute their duties. We remind those entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring a reliable water supply across the country to work diligently and uphold the government’s commitment to achieving water supply targets, as outlined in the Third FiveYear Development Plan and the ruling party CCM’s election manifesto.

Water officials should step out of their offices and address the persistent water scarcity, especially in areas where the government has invested significant amounts of funds to develop water infrastructure.