According to the Government of Tanzania, the implementation of ongoing water projects, a developing pipe industry and increased private sector investment in the Tanzania water sector will result bring universal access to drinking water to 65 % of the country’s rural population and 75% of the urban population by 2015.
Clement Kivegalo, Managing Director of the Kahama Shinyanga Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (KASHWASA), recently spoke at a technology seminar on behalf of the Tanzania Minister of Water Jumanne Maghembe.
Hon. Kivegalo indicated that the launch of the second phase of the Water Sector Development Program (WSDPII) will require additional investment in order for the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP/MKUKUTA) and the and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on water goals to be achieved.
“We are implementing the ‘Big Results Now’ initiative” to ensure that more communities have access to clean and safe water,” he said, “This requires more investment in water projects by the private sector.”
According to the Ministry of Water, a large part of the Ministry’s budget has been allocated to the purchase and procurement of pipes from outside of Tanzania and praised the Tanzania Pipes Industries Co. Ltd. and other local quality pipe manufacturers transforming Tanzania into a potential exporter of quality pipes.
“Since [pipes] are now available locally, and the cost promises to be lower, I urge all stakeholders gathered here to go for quality pipes of our own,” he said.