The water sector has been widely commended for the significant achievements realized over the past two decades through the implementation of the Water Sector Development Programme (WSDP).
The Minister of Finance, Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, made these remarks during the official opening of the Joint Water Sector Review Meeting held in Morogoro.
The meeting, organized by the Ministry of Water, forms part of the activities leading up to World Water Day, observed annually on March 22.
In his address, the Minister highlighted the substantial progress recorded since the launch of the WSDP in 2006.
At that time, access to water services stood at 74 percent in urban areas and 54 percent in rural areas. Currently, coverage has significantly improved to 92.5 percent in urban areas and 85.2 percent in rural areas, reflecting the Government’s sustained commitment to enhancing water service delivery.
He further noted that the review meeting serves as a high-level platform for dialogue, coordination, and evaluation of the programme’s implementation.
Regarding sector financing, the Minister reported that between January and December 2025, a total of TZS 883.93 billion (equivalent to USD 351.04 million) was mobilized from development partners and domestic government sources.
These funds were allocated to the implementation of various water supply and sanitation projects across the country.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water, Engineer Mwajuma Waziri, reaffirmed the Sixth Phase Government’s commitment to achieving universal access to water services nationwide.
She indicated that, to date, 10,758 villages have attained reliable access to water services, while 1,575 villages out of a total of 12,333 remain unserved.
The Government is undertaking deliberate efforts to ensure full coverage, including the implementation of large-scale water projects and strategic initiatives such as the National Water Grid.
Engineer Mwajuma further emphasized that the objective of the meeting is to convene key stakeholders in the water sector to review the implementation of the third phase of the WSDP for the period January to December 2025.
The forum will also assess achievements, identify challenges encountered, and formulate appropriate strategies for improvement.
The Regional Commissioner of Morogoro, Adam Malima, expressed appreciation to the Minister of Water, Jumaa Aweso, and officials from the Ministry for selecting Morogoro as the host of the Water Week commemorations.
He underscored the strategic importance of Morogoro Region in the water sector, noting that it serves as a critical water source for Dar es Salaam and the Coast Region, and emphasized the need for continued conservation and protection of water sources.
