MWE Correspondent
Water Minister Jumaa Aweso has given the contractor implementing the 28 Towns Water Supply Project in Korogwe, Tanga Region, nine days to begin testing the transfer of raw water from the project’s intake point to the Water Treatment Plant (WTP), as the government accelerates efforts to ensure residents begin receiving water by the end of 2026.
Aweso issued the directive on September 21, 2026, during an inspection of the project, ordering the contractor to start testing the process of drawing water from the source and conveying it to the treatment plant by September 30.
“Contractor, I am giving you only nine days from today, September 21, until September 30, to have started testing the process of taking water from the river to the treatment area,” Aweso said.
The minister stressed the need for the contractor to accelerate implementation and ensure that the project moves into the testing stage without further delays.
The Korogwe project is expected to be completed and begin providing services to residents in December 2026. Once operational, it is expected to improve water access across four districts — Korogwe, Handeni, Muheza and Pangani — strengthening the supply of clean and safe water to communities in the wider Tanga area.
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Aweso also directed officials from the Ministry of Water to remain focused on the implementation of the government’s 2026/27 plan to extend water services to 400 villages, stressing that funds had already been allocated for the programme.
The directive forms part of wider government efforts to expand access to reliable water services, particularly in communities that continue to experience inadequate or unreliable supply.
The minister further instructed water authorities and basin water boards across the country to conduct comprehensive assessments of water infrastructure, particularly pipelines, ahead of the expected El Niño rains.
He said authorities should identify sections of the water network that could be vulnerable to heavy rainfall and undertake necessary repairs before the rains cause damage or interrupt services to wananchi.
The call comes as Tanzania prepares for a period of potentially heavy rainfall, increasing the need for authorities to strengthen the resilience of water infrastructure and ensure that existing systems remain operational during extreme weather conditions.
The Ministry of Water has identified expansion and improvement of water infrastructure as a major priority for the 2026/27 financial year, alongside rehabilitation of existing systems and implementation of new projects aimed at increasing access to clean and safe water.
For Korogwe residents, however, the immediate focus remains on the contractor meeting the September 30 deadline for the first water-transfer tests. Successful testing would mark an important step toward completing the treatment and distribution system and ultimately delivering water to communities targeted by the multi-district project before the end of 2026.
