AfricaPress-Tanzania: The Political Committee of the Revolutionary Party (CCM), Iringa Region is satisfied with the implementation of water projects in the villages of Izazi, Mfyome and Mtembo in Iringa district as a step that relieved the suffering of its citizens who were forced to walk long distances, to seek the service.
In Izazi village some villagers said the introduction of clean and safe water service has reduced conflicts in the community and especially for some couples as the service is now available to their neighbors on a daily basis.
Residents of Mfyome village said that before access to a reliable and clean water supply they were buying one bucket of water for Sh1,000.
The chairman of the village, Richard Luhala said the water was being sold by some youths who took advantage of the lack of water in the village to seek it out in rivers and other sources at their own expense (including transportation) and sell it to the public.
Reporting on the construction of water projects in the villages to the political committee, Iringa Water and Sanitation Agency Manager Masoud Samila said 96 percent of Izazi village residents have access to the water network.
He said the construction of the Izazi-Mnadani water project started in December 2014 through the Water Sector Development Program (WSDP) and the Water and Sanitation Sub-Program (RWSSP).
Samila said the project hopes to benefit more than 5,200 residents of Izazi and Mnadani villages by providing them with access to clean and safe water within a distance of not more than 400 meters.
He said the water and sanitation project in Mfyome village is also being implemented through the water sector development program and the RWSSP sub-program and aims to reach about 4,590 citizens with clean and safe water service.
Samila said another project is the Pawaga-Mlenge water project whose expansion of water flow is being implemented through WSDP and RWSSP aimed at reducing the problem of clean and safe water service by benefiting more than 30,200 residents of 14 villages in Ilolompya, Mboliboli, Itunundi counties. , and Mlenge.
Izzai village resident Barik Issa thanked the government through the Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) saying the construction of such water projects has reduced the problem of access to clean and safe water in many villages in Iringa district.
“Our request to the government is to increase water facilities in some villages and suburbs to bring water closer to the people whose number is increasing day by day,” he said.
CCM Regional Chairman Dr Abel Nyamahanga called on water users’ committees to increase the management of water infrastructure which costs millions of government funds.
“These projects are built with a lot of taxpayers’ money. It is important that it is properly protected and managed so that water supply is sustainable, “he said.
Iringa Regional Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) Manager Joyce Bahati said the establishment of RUWASA has facilitated the rapid implementation of many water projects that were previously managed by the council.
Bahati said RUWASA continues to complete the looting of all water projects that were managed by the council before the implementation of other new projects.
