Water safety and climate resilience

World Water Day has been held on 22 March every year since 1993 and is organised by the United Nations. The aim is to draw attention to the globally important topic of ‘water’ and to encourage a more conscious use of drinking water. KfW Development Bank is involved in the water sector in many partner countries - here is an example from Tanzania.

The lack of access to clean drinking water and safe sanitation is still one of the biggest obstacles to development in Tanzania - despite many years of commitment from many donors. This is because the Tanzanian population is growing by around 1.8 million people every year - which means that the demand for water is also increasing rapidly. In addition, the expanding agricultural and industrial sectors require ever larger quantities of water. Climatic changes lead to longer periods of drought or heavy rainfall - this must also be taken into account when designing water projects.

For nearly 20 years, KfW has been supporting the Tanzanian government in its efforts to supply safe, clean drinking water and reliable sanitation and to use water resources efficiently in the face of climate change, in the order of BMZ.

As part of the ‘Sustainable water and sanitation measures in seven cities’ programme, very different measures are being implemented: Wells are being drilled and house connections installed, public standpipes built, septic tank emptying vehicles purchased and school toilets built. Hygiene campaigns support the holistic programme; the municipal water suppliers are supported in operation and maintenance. The programme covers the regional towns of Babati, Simiyu, Kigoma, Sumbawanga, Lindi, Mtwara and Mwanza. In addition to FC, the EU with a mandate to KfW and the French Development Agency (AFD) are also involved in financing the programme; close cooperation with TC complements the measures, for example through training for specialists from the Ministry of Water, from water and sanitation companies and in municipalities. The aim of the project is to improve the health, productivity and well-being of the poor urban population in particular.

In the following, the various measures are presented using the example of Kigoma, located on Lake Tanganyika, and a resident who benefits from the improved supply also has her say. The programme, which is also seen as a lighthouse project by the Tanzanian side, enjoys pilot status not only because of its combination of water and sanitation measures with measures that require support. It also has a nationwide resonance due to the regular meetings of regional water suppliers organised by the programme and thus has a structure-building effect.