Sustainable water resources management is dependent on multi-sectoral efforts enabling water-conscious interventions. Tanzania’s Water Resources Management Act No. 11 of 2009 regulates water allocation, wastewater discharge and borehole drilling through water use and discharge permits. To enhance compliance to this Act, the Ministry of Water (MoW) and the National e-Government Agency (eGA) have developed the Water User Information Management System (WUMIS), through NatuReS’ support under the Partnership with Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA). WUMIS is a permitting system that allows applicants to apply for water use or discharge permits online.
The overall ambition of WUMIS is to support online services and improve the permit management cycle. Its coverage includes permit application, permit related payments, as well as monitoring and reporting processes against permit requirements.
Industrial Wastewater Management in Tanzania: Challenges and Solutions
In July 2022, 18 participants, from nine Basin Water Boards and two from the Ministry of Water, were trained on the use and application of WUMIS on the website and mobile application platforms. The system is now declared ready to use for all nine Basin Water Boards in the country. The Maji Information System (MAJI IS) was already rolled out for use by all institutions under Ministry of Water including Basin Water Boards since 2021.
Eliya Joseph from Multics Systems, a Tanzanian technology company, leading the 2nd User Acceptance Test (UAT) exercise. Copyright: GIZ/
While WUMIS was initially developed as an online permit application solution for the Ministry of Water, the tool will subsequently be enhanced to cater for all permit-related applications including industrial wastewater discharge. This will make it useful for other regulatory agencies such as the Tanzanian Export Processing Authority, the National Environment Management Council or Water and Supply and Sanitation Authorities, easing the challenge of wastewater management.
Mrs. Rosemary Rwebugisa, Assistant Director – Water Resources (second left) and other participants during a break-out session discussion. Copyright: GIZ/Aristarick Mkenda
Enabling applicants to apply for permits without being obliged to travel to the Basin Boards offices is expected to raise compliance to Water Resources Management Act No. 11 of 2009 in the areas of water use, borehole drilling and wastewater discharge nationally.
The Tanzanian Ministry of Water, in collaboration with GIZ’s ‘Water Security and Climate Resilience in Urban Areas Programme’ and NatuReS, hosted a delegation from Lesotho, coordinated by the GIZ programme ‘Support to Integrated Catchment Management in Lesotho (ICM)’ on their learning mission in Tanzania from the 25th to 27th May 2022. Participants were from the government of Lesotho’s programme ReNOKA (‘We are a river’), which is aiming at the sustainable and climate-resilient restoration and management of water and land. ReNOKA is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the European Union. The ICM programme and the Kingdom of Lesotho’s Ministry of Water are supporting its implementation technically.
Group photo after the second day in Usa River, Arusha. Copyright: GIZ/Aristarick Mkenda
The objective of the learning mission was to provide high-level delegates from different line ministries from Lesotho with experiences on integrated water resources management implementation, as well as the stewardship approach, to potentially be replicated in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The events took place in the Kikuletwa Catchment in the Pangani Basin located in Northern Tanzania and included 19 participants.
During their visit, the group had a chance to interact with various stakeholders and conduct visits to different partnership areas in the Weruweru and Usa River sub-catchments. This included for example a visit to a tree seedling nursery supported by the Sustainable Water Management Partnership (SUWAMA) in the Weruweru sub-catchment through a local NGO, Kijani Pamoja, which leads the afforestation efforts in the catchment.
Mr. Segule Segule, Director of Pangani Basin Water Board. Copyright: GIZ/PBWB
In his remarks, the Director of Pangani Basin Water Board, Mr. Segule Segule, reiterated that the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management is a learning process. Improvements in the areas of water resources data management, water source protection and multi-stakeholder engagement have been made by making water resources management a collective responsibility of all stakeholders.
Mr. Jeremiah Mazengo, Dekker Chrysanten Flower Company Manager. Copyright: GIZ/Ebrania Mlimbila
“It is very important for us to work together with public sector and communities in protecting (natural) resources – which are vital to our business. We are collaborating with other stakeholders in the sub-catchment to address different issues, including the conservation and improvement of our irrigation furrow management,” said Mr. Jeremiah Mazengo, Manager at the flower company Dekker Chrysanten, during a panel discussion.
Mr Tito Kitomari (left), Usa River Water Users Association (WUA), sharing insights about WUA’s involvement in the SUWAMA partnership in Usa River. Copyright: GIZ/Aristarick Mkenda
The SUWAMA partnership in Weruweru provides a platform for in-cash and in-kind contributions from public, private and civil society sectors to address their shared water resources risks. Other stakeholders represented in the partnership include African Plantation Kilimanjaro (APK) and the Weruweru Water Users Association (JUWAMAWE).
Discussions at a tree nursery managed by Kijani Pamoja through the SUWAMA partnership in Weruweru. Copyright:GIZ/PBWB
The key reflections from the learning mission were the importance of identifying shared risks, the mapping and engagement of stakeholders at all levels, the clarity of roles and responsibilities among regulators and the importance of intensive community awareness programmes.
Visiting one of the demonstration farms supported by RIKOLTO to showcase water use efficiency and improved farming methods. Copyright: GIZ/PBWB
The often inadequate disposal of industrial wastewater into public sewers deteriorates sewer structures, increases maintenance costs, adds problems in sewage treatment and contributes to stream pollution. Direct discharge into streams harms aquatic life and deems the water unfit for its intended use by both communities and businesses. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the volumes and levels of toxicity of wastes entering waterways through a combination of measures.
Industrial wastewater discharged into waterways causes serious health risks, especially for communities relying on the water for their household needs. Copyright: GIZ/Jesper Anhede
Challenges resulting from poor Industrial Wastewater Management
In Zambia, like in many other countries, issues around industrial wastewater (IWW) management are given less priority than those related to water supply. This is oblivious to the fact that both water supply and IWW management are essential and interrelated. Wastewater from industries and sewage spillages from burst pipes in most urban centres, including Zambia’s capital Lusaka, are released into streams and wetlands. From there, they subsequently discharge into catchment areas or leach into aquifers upon which communities and businesses are heavily dependent on for water supply. Most of the poorly managed wastewater from industries is released into the environment in an untreated or partially treated state. Also, most industries have adopted substandard treatment methods that partially treat and, in some cases, even forego the effluent treatment process in totality. Therefore, industrial wastewater management becomes critical. As such, an effective IWW strategy is necessary to promote and improve IWW management and determine priorities pertaining to the enforcement of applicable legislation, monitoring, and engagement with industries.
Intercountry Learning on Industrial Wastewater Management between Zambia and Tanzania. Copyright: GIZ/Dijana Delic
To effectively do this, an intercountry learning exchange was coordinated by the GIZ Reform of the Water Sector Programme Phase II (RWS II) active in Zambia and the GFA Consulting Group with support from NatuReS Tanzania and Zambia. The objective was for the Tanzanian partners of NatuReS to share best practices, challenges and effective innovations in managing industrial wastewater with their Zambian counterparts. Case presentations were made by Eng. Miriam Esanju from the Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board (WRBWB) from Tanzania and Fred Chimpukutu, Senior Chemist at the Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company (LWSC) from Zambia, triggering insightful exchange of experiences and success factors that could help with challenges such as environmental pollution, faced across both countries.
Industrial Wastewater Management in Tanzania: Challenges and Solutions
This video visualizes both the processes and the regulators involved in industrial wastewater management, showcasing the example of an imaginary factory in the Benjamin William Mkapa Special Economic Zone in Dar-es-Salaam. Copyright/GIZ NatuReS Tanzania, Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA), National Environmental Management Council (NEMC), The Confederation of Tanzanian Industries (CTI) and Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board (WRBWB)
In Tanzania, industrialization is one of the key strategic objectives within the National Development Framework. However, with the expansion of water-intensive production, treating the increasing amounts of wastewater poses major environmental and regulatory challenges, such as the complex process of obtaining official permits for the appropriate disposal of wastewater. As multiple regulating agencies are involved in this process, industries are required to obtain various types of permits. This resulted in complex and lengthy processes to safely dispose of wastewater. The untreated wastewater discharge does not only have negative impacts on the ecosystem and the health of communities using the water, but also on foreign investment, as international investors increasingly value environmental compliance. Therefore, NatuReS under the Partnership with the Tanzania Export Processing Zones Authority has supported the development of industrial wastewater guidelines, as well as the integration of digital water management systems for a more efficient permit regulation.
Industrial Wastewater Management in Tanzania: Stakeholder Interviews
The video includes testimonies from the regulators, explaining their roles and responsibilities in managing industrial wastewater. The confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) on behalf of the private sector highlights the persisting challenge to environmental compliance by industries and why it is important to have a coordinated approach in managing industrial wastewater. Copyright/GIZ NatuReS Tanzania, Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA), National Environmental Management Council (NEMC), The Confederation of Tanzanian Industries (CTI) and Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board (WRBWB)
Industrial Wastewater Management in Zambia: Way Forward
A Trade Effluent Management (TEM) Task Team has been established in Lusaka with stakeholders from the mandated and responsible authorities led by LWSC as well as industries located in Lusaka. The TEM seeks to coordinate the mobilization and use of human, financial, and other relevant resources for the implementation of industrial wastewater management activities for the city of Lusaka. The task team also seeks to support the coordination of the regulation, monitoring, enforcement and management of the trade effluent discharge into the sewerage system.
The shared lessons from Tanzania have the potential to inform current activities in Zambia and could be adapted by LWSC to ensure the effective treatment and management of industrial wastewater effluent. These lessons also aimed to improve LWSC’s monitoring of industrial wastewater and the safeguarding of the two new wastewater treatment plants to be constructed through the Lusaka Sanitation Programme with support from KFW and EIB, as well as technical assistance from RWS II.
Strengthening water security is crucial to enhance farmers’ resilience to climate change, as well as to combat unprecedented global shocks such as Covid-19. Changing rainfall patterns and catchment degradation are stressing water resources in the Pangani basin in Northern Tanzania, while water demand is increasing due to both population and economic growth in the catchment. Combined with the pollution created by the run-off from agricultural land, these factors are severely affecting the catchment’s water quality. In turn, poor water quality is affecting the health of riverain communities, who rely on the water resources for cooking, sanitation, etc., making them less resilient to the pandemic or other diseases resulting from inadequate hygiene conditions.
To address these issues, the international NGO Rikolto, through the Sustainable Water Management (SUWAMA) Partnerships and supported by the Natural Resources Stewardship Programme, trained smallholder farmers in the Usa River and Weruweru sub-catchments on sustainable agricultural practices. Trainees learned how to improve fertilizer and pesticide use to reduce chemical pollution from the pesticide discharge into the river furrows.
Pesticide Training conducted by the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticide Authority. Copyright: GIZ/Ine Tollenaers
Efficient and sustainable farming practices
Farmers in the Usa River and Weruweru sub-catchments extensively use pesticides, based on the idea that preventive spraying is necessary to protect their crops and obtain good yields. Often times however, the dosage is applied in excess, or the chemical required for the crop is misapplied because the labelling on these pesticides is either not clear or not in their language. Furthermore, these farmers – mostly women – do not have access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during spray times in the field, putting them at risk through the regular exposure to chemicals. Moreover, harmful amounts of pesticide residue leak into the water channels, thus contaminating village water supplies. Finally, the fruits and vegetables available on the markets contain high amounts of pesticide residues unsuitable for consumption. All these factors put pressure on the ecosystem and lower community resilience. This has become particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, when safe water uses, and hygiene became a priority.
Good Agricultural Practices training by Flora Arumeru. Copyright: GIZ/Ine Tollenaers
Improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions
In order to improve WASH conditions, both at farm and at household level (WASH@Farm@Home), an inter-sectoral collaboration between Rikolto and the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticide Authority (TPHPA) was sought to raise awareness and improve current farming practices. An intensive ‘training of trainers’ capacitated 108 farmers, providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to train their peers on the safe use of pesticides. The 108 trainers will each coach 12 fellow farmers, hence reaching a total of 1296 trained smallholder farmers. Practical, interactive trainings were conducted on 14 demonstration plots, and the 108 trainers were provided with the necessary equipment to enable them to adequately pass on the skills and knowledge gained.
News coverage on Good Agricultural Practices trainings and Personal Protective Equipment material distribution. Copyright: ITV Tanzania
Collection centres for pesticide containers, first of their kind in the country
In addition to the training sessions, three pesticide collection centres (one square meter by two metres high) were set up to enable farmers to safely dispose of empty or expired pesticide containers in their community. These empty containers will be collected by TPHPA for safe disposal. This cost-effective, innovative solution is the first of its kind in Tanzania and can be replicated across the country, thus reducing chemical contamination in the country’s water streams.
News coverage on the Pesticide Collection Centres. Copyright: ITV Tanzania
