Zambezi River Basin

Access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation by 2015 The proportion of people in urban areas who use drinking water from improved sources has increased to 83 per cent in 2008, from 68 per cent in 1990 (Government of Tanzania 2008). While more than 80 per cent of people living in urban areas in Tanzania have access to clean drinking water, the figure drops to just over one-third in the rural areas, thus bringing down the national average to about half of the population with access to safe drinking water (Figure 4.41).

Proportion of populationwith access to improved sanitation facilities inTanzania

Percentage

60

50

40

30

20

10

Proportion of population with access to improved water sources inTanzania

0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Source: Government ofTanzania 2008

Percentage

90

Figure 4.42

Rural

Urban

National

80

Improve the lives of slum dwellers by 2020 The population living in unplanned peri- urban settlements has been decreasing as a proportion of total urban population, as shown in Figure 4.43, while the urban population has also been increasing. Therefore the numbers have been increasing while the proportion has gone down. Both impact on the extent of slum areas. About 70 per cent of urban residents inmost cities inTanzania live in unplanned settlements, slums or squatter areas. A special programme to upgrade these unplanned urban settlements is being implemented in two phases: First is identification and registration; and second is upgrading infrastructure and utility services. In addition, plot surveying and allocation is being done, with about 55 000 plots surveyed and allocated since 2004 (Government of Tanzania 2000-2008).

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

2000

2002

2004

2006

Sources: AfDB 2010

Figure 4.41

The targets for 2015 for improved water supply are 74 per cent for rural areas (from 51 per cent in 1990) and 84 per cent for urban areas (68 percent in 1990). The goal is likely to be met with respect to urban water supply if the challenges of increased population pressure and lack of adequate resources are addressed but less likely in rural areas of mainland Tanzania. Targets with respect to sanitation coverage and urban population living in slums are unlikely to be met, although significant improvement is expected (Government of Tanzania 2008). Sewerage service coverage in urban centres increased from around four per cent in 1990, to six per cent in 2000 and 17 per cent in 2008. There has been a steady increase of coverage in improved sanitation facilities from 40.2 per cent in 2001, 50 per cent in 2006, to 55 per cent in 2007, as shown in Figure 4.42. Similar progress has been recorded in Zanzibar, with the proportion of population using an improved sanitation facility in urban areas rising from 52 per cent in 1990 to 75 per cent by 2006 and from 26 per cent in 1990 to 51 per cent in rural areas.

Proportion of urban dwellers living in slum conditions in Tanzania

Percentage

100

98

96

94

92

90

88

1990

2001

Source: Government ofTanzania 2008

Figure 4.43

102