Due to widespread pollution, the water quality in Tanzania is poor. While the nation as a whole is affected, cities on the coast receive the most contaminated water because of insufficient sewage regulation.

Untreated sewage is often deposited into the sea, polluting the country’s coastal waters. Not only does this threaten marine biodiversity, but it has spread diseases on land as well. Salim M. Mohammed, a researcher at the University of Dar es Salaam, says that the most common of these diseases are diarrhea, gastroenteritis, cholera and dysentery, all of which can cause death under certain circumstances.

Sewage mismanagement occurs inland as well, although the dynamics vary. Ground wells, which provide water to some Tanzanians, are often contaminated by leaks from drainage systems. As a result, the water often contains fecal matter that people have no choice but to drink from, bathe in or wash their clothes in, as reported by The Water Project.

Aside from domestic waste, these coastal cities often experience industrial pollution as well. For example, debris may stem from textile production, oil and gas regulation or food processing that affects the quality of the water.

And while coastal cities may suffer from dirtier water, other coastal areas experience contamination as well. The difference comes, as Mohammed states, in that these residents suffer from the input of agricultural wastes, such as pesticides and fertilizers, via rivers and streams compared to domestic or industrial wastes.

While water purification is a complex issue, the immediate solution would involve an improvement in sewage regulation. The government of Tanzania needs to build more sewerage systems, and governmental policies must ensure its widespread implementation. Otherwise, only a small percentage of the population will continue to have access to these systems.

Likewise, similar policies must be enforced to ensure that industrial and agricultural waste does not pollute the water. If such methods are executed through the strategic use of financial resources, it is certain that the water quality in Tanzania will improve.

– Gigi DeLorenzo

Photo: Flickr