What You Need to Know
The Tanzanian government has mobilized approximately 883 billion shillings since 2006 to enhance water and sanitation services through the Water Sector Development Programme. Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar highlighted significant progress in urban and rural water access, while acknowledging ongoing challenges and the need for sustainable management practices.
Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE government has mobilised 351.04 million US dollars (about 883.93bn/-) since 2006 to expand water and sanitation services under the Water Sector Development Programme (WSDP).
Finance Minister, Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, said the funds have been sourced from development partners and domestic revenue to support nationwide projects aimed at improving access to safe and clean water.
He made the remarks in Morogoro while opening a special meeting to review the Water Sector Performance Report for January to December 2025 and the Joint Water Sector Review (JWSR), held as part of preparations for World Water Day, marked annually on March 22.
Ambassador Omar said the WSDP has recorded significant progress in expanding water access and strengthening management of water resources across the country.
“Substantial achievements have been made, particularly in increasing access to water and improving management and conservation of this vital resource,” he noted.
He further said that urban water coverage has increased to 92.5 per cent from 74 per cent, while rural access has risen to 85.2 per cent from 54 per cent, largely due to sustained implementation of the programme. Despite the progress, he acknowledged that challenges remain, calling on stakeholders to strengthen efforts to ensure sustainable water management.
The minister emphasised the importance of protecting water sources through environment conservation measures, including tree planting, proper land use and public education to curb human activities that threaten water sources.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water, Engineer Mwajuma Waziri, said the review meeting brought together stakeholders to assess the implementation of WSDP Phase III for the period between January and December 2025. She said 10,758 villages out of 12,333 nationwide have already been connected to reliable water services, leaving 1,575 villages still in need of adequate supply.
“The government is committed to ensuring that all villages are reached through largescale projects and strategic initiatives, including the National Water Grid plan,” she said.
Engineer Waziri added that the sixth-phase government is focused on achieving 100 per cent water coverage across the country. Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Mr Adam Malima, said the region continues to play a key role in protecting water sources that serve other regions, including coastal areas and Dar es Salaam.
He called for increased budget allocation to support construction of large water storage facilities and flood control infrastructure to enhance water security.
The ongoing investments are expected to further improve access to safe water, support economic activities and enhance the quality of life for communities across the country.
Since 2006, Tanzania has been implementing the Water Sector Development Programme (WSDP) to improve water access and sanitation nationwide. This initiative has seen substantial funding from both domestic and international partners, aiming to enhance the quality of life for Tanzanians by ensuring safe and clean water is accessible to all. Despite notable progress, challenges remain, necessitating continued efforts in water resource management and conservation practices to sustain these advancements.
