French support for water sector shows life returning to normal

The projects are expected to benefit 722,010 people, which is most opportune as the country battles to ensure supply of clean and potable water everywhere in the country.

During the current parliamentary Budget session, the minister overseeing the water and irrigation docket has had occasion to inform MPs that the closure of the country’s airspace and the resultant travel challenges would affect numerous water and sanitation projects.

Not all the technical work and especially supplies or feasibility studies are conducted by Tanzanian agencies, not to mention the funding aspect. In that case, the airspace closure held back such consultations and interactions until a better time.

While the support channelled through the French Development Agency will facilitate expansion of water distribution and increase the amount of water supplied in the region, questions remain on water sector projects.

Just passing down a street where roads are not properly built to tarmac level shows how easily water supply pipes are disturbed by routine interventions for various needs. There doesn’t appear to be a working mechanism where authorities know where pipes have been laid or their condition at any particular moment.

Regular monitoring or checks would easily show burst water pipes, leading to immediate, but there are serious problems here – and the more serious the problem gets, possibly the longer and the more costly solving it will mean.

There is much loss problems with physical infrastructure are occasioning the public with respect to electricity and water supply, and it is hard to say that we have any ready or convincing answers as yet.

The government has made huge efforts to tune up public services in various sectors, and water is one of them – though problems remain.

The French line of credit is an indication that development partners appreciate the progress made and thus feel free to chip in, assured that their support will not dissipated in auxiliary and unnecessary costs.

What is also evident is that development partners are making efforts to rectify matters in relation to development cooperation, though sometimes only so much can be done when things like negative travel advisories abound.

It is to be assumed that each country is making the efforts it can to assure the citizenry on the situation, but finally what makes a difference is the situation on the ground.

We appear to have made remarkable progress in that context but, as national leaders and health experts insist, there is every need for people to continue observing precautions. Pandemic infections have several half lives and a capacity to return. We should stand so warned.