ARUSHA: Tanzania’s Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba has ordered water authorities to take urgent action to reduce system losses, saying inefficiencies are undermining efforts to expand access to clean water.
Addressing a meeting of board chairpersons from 85 water authorities in Arusha, Nchemba said in some areas up to 50% of treated water fails to reach consumers.
“If that 50% also reached citizens, we would be far ahead in ensuring water availability,” he said. “If this were a private business, would such a situation be tolerated?”
He instructed the water minister to assess the performance of Water Supply and Sanitation Authorities and to clamp down on illegal connections and non-payment of bills.
Nchemba also called for stronger protection of water sources, describing conservation as a national responsibility and urging regional officials to treat it as a security issue.
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According to Water Minister Jumaa Aweso, the government has allocated more than three trillion Tanzanian shillings for water projects nationwide. Rural access has risen to 85.2%, while urban coverage stands at 92.5%.
Out of 12,333 villages nationwide, 1,575 still lack water supply, the minister said.
The prime minister said all primary and secondary schools, as well as hospitals and health centres, must have reliable water access within a year.
“I do not want to hear of students carrying water containers to school,” he said. “Every school must have water.”
