Tanzania: Govt Allocates 10.8bn/ – to Address Simiyu Water Woes

ABOUT 10.8bn/- has been set aside for the purchase of vehicles with drilling rigs in order to address water shortages in rural areas in Simiyu region, it has been revealed.

Making the revelation here over the weekend, Simiyu Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr David Kafulila said: “It is our hope that in the next two years, the water crisis will be long gone. Water supply will be 85 per cent, with three-quarters of all villages having an access to safe and clean water.”

He further said the current water supply being 67.5 per cent in comparison to the previous 40.5 per cent in the past two years will see into it that every village has constant flowing clean and safe water.

Elaborating, Mr Kafulila said the residents’ access to water will include Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) current 35 deep and shallow wells already dug addressing the shortage in the region.

Reached for a comment, some residents said that water supply was still a challenge, because the existing water wells are not meeting their demand.

A resident, Mr Edward Mwandu, said that some areas have access to reliable water, unlike others which rely on seasonal rivers and dams as well as in rainy seasons.

“We wake up at night and go to fetch water some kilometers away, especially during the dry seasons… if the government brought the drilling rigs, it’s our hope that the challenge will be completely addressed,” he added.

It was further noted that, in addition to the plan to address the scarcity of water in the area, Simiyu Region is also planning to implement the water supply project, worth about 400m/- from Lake Victoria.