Author: BERNARD LUGONGO
AfricaPress-Tanzania: AT least 3tri/- has been spent on water projects countrywide in the past five years, as President John Magufuli on Sunday launched yet another scheme at Kisarawe District, Coast region.
In the corresponding period, the Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA) monthly revenue collection shot to 12.3bn/- from 3.2bn/-.
In the course, the government expects DAWASA to raise over 15bn/- as monthly collections.
While launching the Kisarawe- Kibamba water project worth 10.6bn/- on Sunday, President Magufuli without going into details said that of all countrywide projects implemented, Coast Region in particular had 45.
Clarifying, Dr Magufuli noted that the initiative improved water availability in rural areas from 47 per cent in 2015 to 70.1 per cent in 2020.
Likewise, in urban settings the water availability shot to 84 per cent from 74 per cent in the past five years.
“The achievements are implementation of our pledges made in 2015-2020 ruling party CCM manifesto,” further stated the President.
Speaking over the just launched Kisarawe-Kibamba water project, Dr Magufuli said it was as a result of a directive he issued in June 2017, while launching the Upper Ruvu water plant expansion to serve the Coast Region.
The Kisarawe-Kibamba project, which has a tank with storage capacity of six million litres per day, will serve the Kisarawe District and its environs, which according to statistics; the area requires only 1.2 million litres per day for its residents.
Earlier, Minister for Water, Prof Makame Mbarawa said Kisarawe residents were eagerly waiting for the completion of the project to cater for their demand.
“The good thing is that water authorities now allocate funds to finance these projects, unlike the past when they depended on funds from the ministry,” he stated.
After the fifth phase government made reforms in the city water authorities, they now allocate 47.5 per cent of revenues, which also go towards financing their schemes.
Expounding, Prof Mbarawa commended implementation of the water projects through the force account system, saying it would save a lot of public funds and make the projects completed in time.
On his part, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Prof Kitila Mkumbo elaborating on the water availability said in the past five years at least 859,000 households got water connections as new clients.
Prof Mkumbo further stated that out of 835 million litres of water produced countrywide, Dar es Salaam alone consumes 414 million litres (49 per cent).
Shedding light on the project, DAWASA Chief Executive Officer, Cyprian Luhemeja, said the Kisarawe-Pugu project completion marks the beginning of water extension to Pugu area and would cost 7.3bn/-, adding: “The extension of this project would see water supply and improvements to areas like Ukonga, Segerea, Banana and others.”
