Luhemeja underscores preservation of water resources

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water Eng. Cyprian Luhemeja has underscored the importance of protecting water resources for the benefit of current and future generations.

Addressing a recent meeting of the National Water Board held in Morogoro, he said the future of water resources depends on current measures being taken to ensure sustainability.

“You should use your experiences in resolving the challenges bedevilling the water sector instead of giving easy answers based on climate change and other weather vagaries. Water projects solely lie on the availability of water sources at all times,” he said.

“ Let’s use climate change as the basis in devising new strategies to ensure that water is available at all time. The current plan is to have a water grid which will strengthen water services in areas facing shortages,” he said.

He appealed to the Board to visit various stakeholders to study their problems so that they can come up with possible solutions as Tanzanians clamour for inadequate water services.

“We should have infrastructure that ensures judicious use of water so that every citizen can enjoy the right of access to the precious liquid,” Luhemeja said.

In July last year, the government unveiled the 2022-2026 Water Sector Development Plan (third phase) which is projected to cost US dollars 6.46 billion.

Currently, the Water Ministry is preparing the 2023-2030 Water Sector Investment Programme worth US dollars 24.7 billion.

The National Water Board is under the chairmanship of former Permanent Secretary Eng. Mbogo Futakamba.

Tanzania has a capacity of 126 billion cubic metres which can be available every year, of which 105 billion cubic metres is surface and 21 billion cubic metres is ground water.

According to the 2009 Water Resources Act and its 2022 Amendment, the National Board is an advisory organ to the Minister of Water.

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