Factsheet: Stewardship Partnership for Sustainable Industrial Zones

As Tanzania advances toward its vision of attaining middle-income status through industrialization, it is vital that business operations in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Export Processing Zones (EPZs) continue to thrive – while ensuring community access to clean water and public health. Industries in Dar es Salaam and the Coast regions rely heavily on the Ruvu Catchment, where declining rainfall and falling river levels are already straining supply. If industrial wastewater is poorly treated or water resources are overexploited, companies face not only physical risks such as water scarcity and disrupted production, but also regulatory risks as environmental controls tighten, and reputational risks that can damage investor confidence and public trust. Sustaining growth therefore requires that industrial operations safeguard water quality, quantity and equity in access, ensuring that Tanzania’s development goals are achieved without compromising the wellbeing of its people or ecosystems.