MWANZA: MS Grace Masanya is among Buhongwa Ward residents in Nyamagana District, Mwanza Region, eagerly awaiting the completion of the Butimba 1B water project, which is expected to become operational in December this year.
The 46bn/- worth project is a continuation of the Butimba Water Source project (Butimba1A), which was launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in June 2025.
It is sponsored by the French Development Agency (Agence Française de DéveloppementAFD) in collaboration with the Tanzanian government, under the supervision of Mwanza Urban Water and Sanitation Authority (Mwauwasa).
Ms Masanya, a food vendor operating along the newly built Buhongwa-Kishiri road, told the ‘Daily News’ recently that she had struggled with a shortage of safe and clean water for a long time.
She said the challenge had sometimes forced her to run her business merely to recover her capital and retain customers, rather than make a profit.
This is happening especially in dry seasons when a 20-litre bucket costs up to 2,000/, from 200/-, she said, stressing that:
“Sometimes, the business provides zero profit. The coming water project therefore will nourish my and others’ businesses provided that people’s population keeps on increasing after completion of this Buhongwa-Kishiri road at tarmac level.”
She also expressed hope that every household in Buhongwa would be connected to safe water services once the Butimba 1B project becomes operational.
She stressed that water scarcity hampers economic growth, given the resource’s vital role in various sectors, including trade, agriculture, fishing, livestock, energy and industry.
The Sesabudaga resident in Usagara Ward of the Misungwi District, Ms Lucia Cosmus, expressed concern about how the current water shortage can lead to possible disease outbreaks, as people are sharing water with animals in the temporarily dug local ponds.
She added that residents have been forced to wake up in the middle of the night and travel long distances to fetch water before dawn, allowing them to attend to their other daily responsibilities, whether on farms or in offices, on time.
She said another reason residents wake up in the dead of night is to fetch water before animals contaminate it, expressing hope that the upcoming water project would bring lasting relief.
“As you can see, the newly constructed water project is right next to my home, meaning I will be among the first beneficiaries. I am grateful to the government for this project,” she said.
Ms Juster Kato, a resident of Busekwa Street in Kisesa Ward, Magu District, said the water shortage becomes particularly severe during the dry season, forcing her family to postpone bathing and sometimes bathe only three times a week. The shortage has also forced her to suspend construction of her house.
She appealed to the government to introduce temporary mobile water services as work on the Butimba 1B project continues.
Ms Kato said the scarcity also affects her fresh sardine-frying business, which depends on a reliable water supply to clean the fish and maintain proper hygiene to protect her customers’ health.
“I also run a business frying fresh sardines, but it becomes difficult to operate without a reliable water supply to clean the fish and safeguard my customers’ health,” she said.
Nevertheless, Ms Kato commended the Mwanza Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Mwauwasa) for occasionally supplying water to residents through trials of the ongoing water-tank project in the street. She urged the authority to increase the frequency of the service to at least three times a week.
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Meanwhile, workers involved in constructing the water tanks in Kisesa, including Mr Rashidi Maduka, commended the government for implementing major infrastructure projects that provide employment opportunities to local residents.
Beyond earning an income, Mr Maduka said, the workers also gain valuable skills by sharing knowledge and experience with experts in the construction industry, equipping them for better opportunities in the future.
The Butimba 1B project supervisor working under contractor Sinohydro Corporation Limited, Engineer Zabron Marwa, said the project, which commenced in 2024, includes the construction of a water substation with a capacity of three million litres at Sahwa in Lwahnima Ward.
The substation will receive water from Butimba 1A before distributing it to storage tanks in the designated areas.
The project also involves constructing five major water tanks in Buhongwa, Fumagila and Nyamazobe in Nyamagana District, Kisesa in Magu District, and Usagara in Misungwi District.
Other works include building a pump house and laying a 40.6-kilometre pipeline network. Engineer Marwa explained that the tanks in Buhongwa, Kisesa, Usagara and Fumagila would receive water from the new substation, while the Nyamazobe tank would receive it directly from Butimba 1A.
He added that two pumps would convey water from the substation to the Kisesa tank, while three pumps would serve the Buhongwa tank. The Usagara tank, meanwhile, would receive water by gravity.
“Implementation of the project at the water substation site has reached 88 per cent,” he said.
Mwauwasa Projects Manager, Engineer Nuhu Said, assured residents that water shortages and rationing would become a thing of the past once Butimba 1B was completed, saying the installed infrastructure would have sufficient capacity to supply all the targeted areas continuously.
The five new water tanks have a combined capacity of 31 million litres, a development expected to improve water access for more than 400,000 residents in Buhongwa, Lwahnima, Kisesa and Usagara wards.
Engineer Said added that a subsequent phase would extend the water network to communities that currently receive only partial services. He explained that Mwanza’s daily water demand stands at 188 million litres, against current production of 138 million litres from Butimba 1A and the long-established Capri Point water source.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Butimba 1A water source, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said the government invests heavily in water infrastructure, stressing that the long-term sustainability of such projects depends on consistent revenue from water users.
She noted that water infrastructure requires substantial investment and regular maintenance, making adequate funding essential for timely repairs and uninterrupted service delivery.
“I urge all water users to pay their bills. While I caution water officials against inflating charges, legitimate bills must be paid,” President Samia said, while thanking development partners for supporting water projects through grants and concessional loans.
The President also urged citizens to take ownership of the projects by protecting the infrastructure from damage and vandalism.
She further emphasised the importance of conserving Lake Victoria as a critical and sustainable source of water.
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