World Bank Pumps $44.9M U.S. Into Water Projects

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World Bank Pumps $44.9M U.S. Into Water Projects

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved 44.9 US million dollars (about 74bn/-) support to Tanzania to help expand access to safe water and sanitation services for the poor in rural and urban communities.

According to a statement to the media from World Bank Tanzania offices, the funds will also be used to improve the management of the country's natural water resources.

"The new 44.9 million dollar credit from the International Development Association (IDA) provides additional funds to primarily scale-up the components of the ongoing Water Sector Support Project (WSSP)," the statement read in part.

The WSSP project is designed to provide safe water and sanitation facilities to rural and urban residents and support institutions to facilitate efficient, integrated management of the country's water resources.

Approved by the Board in 2007, the WSSP is contributing to the first phase of the Tanzania Water Sector Development Programme (WSDP) which spans a 20- year period from 2006 to 2025.

The programme is supported by the Government of Tanzania, multiple development partners and other stakeholders and has already delivered key development results, such as the completion (or ongoing completion) of sub-projects in 918 villages.

These sub-projects include 26,468 new or rehabilitated water points to benefit 6.7 million rural people, support to water utilities to increase access to 2.8 million urban dwellers and support to local governments to improve sanitation for 180,000 households or approximately 900,000 people.

To ensure adequate water resources management the project will help establish basin-wide water resources management plans and strengthen key institutions.

"The WSSP is providing equitable access to water and sanitation facilities, which are key factors for better health and improved quality of life for poor people in rural and urban communities in Tanzania," World Bank Country Director for Tanzania Philippe Dongier, said.

He added that after a slow start, implementation of this priority programme has significantly accelerated during the last two years, now producing impressive results in increasing access to water supply in both rural and urban areas.

The scaling up of the WSSP will enable the WSDP benefit eight million rural and three million urban people in the entire Tanzania. In particular the WSSP is expected to improve water service through the construction of 5,279 additional water points in 628 villages.

This will include 49 multi village schemes or about 938 new water points and will provide water to 234,624 rural people.

"By bringing water services to poor communities in villages and urban centres, the WSDP will enable girls and women to spend less time fetching water for their families and more time being involved in education and economic activities," World Bank Task Team Leader for this Project Yitbarek Tessema, noted.

Tessema added that the end result of the project will be improved health and vitality and new opportunities to create income, reduce poverty and boost shared prosperity for Tanzania's many poor families.

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