Hassan Magulumali
More than 81,000 residents of Nanyumbu District in Tanzania’s southern Mtwara Region are expected to benefit from improved access to clean and safe water following the implementation of a TZS 38.4 billion ($14.7 million) water project drawing supplies from the Ruvuma River.
Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi commended the Ministry of Water for overseeing the project during a visit to the district on November 12, saying the investment had brought essential services closer to communities that previously faced difficulties accessing safe water.
During the event, Ndejembi laid the foundation stone and said he was satisfied with the quality of implementation, promising to inform President Samia Suluhu Hassan that residents of Mangaka were now receiving clean and safe water.
“I am satisfied with the implementation of the project, and I will inform the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, that the people of Mangaka are now receiving clean and safe water,” he said.
The project is particularly significant for communities that have depended on the Ruvuma River as a source of water, exposing residents to risks associated with collecting water directly from the river.
Water Minister Jumaa Aweso said the new infrastructure would help reduce the danger of attacks by wild animals, including crocodiles, while easing the burden on residents who previously had to travel in search of water.
Aweso said the government was extending major water infrastructure beyond large urban centres to rural communities, as part of efforts to improve access to essential services across the country.
According to a project report presented by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water, Engineer Mwajuma Waziri, implementation had reached 98.45 per cent, with water services already being provided through public kiosks and household connections.
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The project was handed over to its operator on October 23, 2026, and is already serving Masuguru, Nachura, Lidede, Mwambani, Sengenya, Mangaka, Kilimanihewa, Mkwajuni and Ngalinje. Final construction works were still underway at the time of the report.
Its infrastructure includes a water intake facility at the Ruvuma River in Masuguru Village, a treatment plant with a production capacity of five million litres per day and two storage reservoirs with a combined capacity of 1.1 million litres.
It also comprises a 65.3-kilometre main pipeline, a 35-kilometre distribution network and 20 public water collection points.
The project forms part of Tanzania’s wider water supply programme covering 28 towns and is being implemented through cooperation between the governments of Tanzania and India. Its construction contract was signed on June 6, 2022, while implementation began on April 23, 2023.
The programme is supported through Tanzania-India development cooperation, including financing arrangements involving India’s Exim Bank.
The investment comes amid wider efforts to improve water access across Tanzania. The Ministry of Water reported to Parliament in May 2026 that implementation of the 28-town programme was progressing at different rates across its project areas, with completion targets set for December 2026.
For Nanyumbu, the project is expected to improve household access to water, reduce the time spent collecting it and support public health and local economic activities.
However, the long-term impact will depend on reliable operation of the treatment plant and distribution network, adequate maintenance, consistent electricity supply and the financial sustainability of water services.
The government has also urged residents to protect the Ruvuma River and the infrastructure, recognising that the sustainability of the project depends on safeguarding its water source.
With implementation nearing completion and services already reaching several communities, the Nanyumbu project represents a significant expansion of water infrastructure in a district where access to safe water has long been a challenge.
