Patrick Moriarty

Domestic water supply, competition for water resources and IWRM in Tanzania:a review and discussion paper

Abstract This paper reviews the historical development of domestic water supplies in Tanzania, the consequences of major policy shifts during the last seven decades, and some of the reasons for the failure of water supply systems. It considers the extent to which water resource issues are constraints in meeting the water supply needs of rural and urban populations, and the relevance of integrated water resources management to the WSS sector. Drawing upon case-study material from two major river basins, the Pangani and Rufiji, it reviews some of the practical steps being taken to implement IWRM principles in Tanzania.

Effective WASH sector adaptation to climate change through improved governance

Over the past year, discussions have being going on within the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector on the possible implications of climate change on services provisions, and the practical adaptation measures that could or should be taken by the sector. Although not conclusive, two important points of agreement have emerged as a result of these discussions. First, climate change predictions are characterized by high levels of uncertainty, particularly at the spatial scales at which most decisions on WASH services provision are made. Second, while it should be taken very seriously, climate change is not the only, and probably not the most important, factor to consider in the short and medium term. This paper argues that the most effective approach to adaptation is to strengthen governance of the WASH sector, for example by adopting principles of adaptive management and by using tools such as scenario building as an integral part of decision-making. In addition, it calls for better embedding of WASH ...