While water scarcity is expected in Tanzania’s arid regions, it is less understandable near abundant sources like Lake Victoria. As the largest lake in Africa, Lake Victoria is a vital resource for East Africa, supporting over 30 million people across Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. According to the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO), the fishing industry alone sustains the livelihoods of 3-4 million people.
Despite its importance, Lake Victoria faces issues such as pollution and inadequate sanitation. These issues have both localised and far-reaching impacts: local communities face water scarcity, which severely undermines their wellbeing by affecting health, safety, and economic stability, and the entire Nile Basin is affected, as Lake Victoria is the primary source of the White Nile.
The Tanzania 2020-2021 National Panel Survey (NPS) reports that 20 percent of Tanzanian households lack access to an improved source of drinking water during the rainy season, rising to 33 percent in the dry season. Improved sources include piped water, standpipes, tube wells, protected wells and springs, bottled water, and rainwater.
“This unsafe water is often their only option.”
Dr Martin Odhiambo
Dr Martin Odhiambo of the Community Alive Organisation in Musoma highlights that many Tanzanians resort to using contaminated surface water laden with bacteria and human waste. “This unsafe water is often their only option for drinking, bathing, and washing clothes, contributing to the spread of diseases.” The situation is exacerbated by open defecation, with the NPS indicating that 50 percent of Tanzanian households lack sanitary latrines.
The contamination of water sources leads to numerous water-borne illnesses. Malaria, diarrhoea, and cholera all affect Tanzanians. Schistosomiasis, another severe health threat, spreads when infected individuals release parasite eggs into freshwater through their faeces or urine. These eggs hatch in the water, continuing the infection cycle and affecting those in contact with the lake. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 90 percent of those needing treatment for schistosomiasis live in Africa.
These health challenges also impose significant economic costs, further deteriorating communities’ wellbeing. According to The World Bank’s 2022 Tanzania Economic Update, inadequate WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) access costs Tanzania over USD 2.4 billion (TZS 5.6 trillion) annually. This equates to 3.2 percent of the 2022 GDP or about USD 38 (TZS 88,000) per person. The report notes that over a billion days per year are lost in Tanzania due to sickness and access issues related to poor WASH.
Due to pollution and inadequate sanitation, Tanzanians living on the shores of Lake Victoria face severe water scarcity, with women and girls bearing the brunt. The 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey found that in 78.9 percent of households, women aged 15 and older are responsible for collecting drinking water, often walking eight kilometres or more. This limits their time for education and economic activities and exposes them to significant risks. The World Bank’s 2022 Tanzania Economic Update highlights the gendered consequences of this task, linking it to musculoskeletal disorders, physical injuries, exhaustion, and dehydration. Carrying heavy water loads is associated with pelvic floor dysfunction, urinary and faecal incontinence, and an increased risk of lower back pain with every additional kilogram.
The Tanzanian Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) found that inadequate access to safe, sufficient, and affordable water has led to higher rates of gender-based violence and school dropouts among girls. Families unable to afford water or school fees send their daughters to collect water, exposing them to violence and infections. Despite these dangers, they have no choice; water is essential for survival.
“Daughters and mothers have to spend several hours each day walking to get water.”
Edgar Masanja
Mwanza-based Human Rights activist Edgar Masanja explains: “In a household where money is scarce, daughters and mothers have to spend several hours each day walking to get water from pumps. They run the risk of being attacked or raped.” This daily struggle for water profoundly impacts women’s safety, physical health, and psychological wellbeing.
Nyambona Karabana, from Mugango Village in the Mara region, exemplifies this struggle. Karabana faced numerous challenges to pursue her education. At 14, she travelled over two and a half hours each morning to reach school, often arriving late and facing punishment. At home, she woke early to fetch water from a pump two kilometres away, which could take over an hour and expose her to dangerous wildlife. According to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response, the furthest distance any household should be from the nearest water point is 500 metres. Additionally, the waiting time at a water source should be at most 15 minutes and filling a 20-litre container should take at most three minutes.
When she turned 16 years old, Karabana was sexually abused by the pump manager. When she realised she was pregnant, she informed the pump manager, who first denied his involvement and later disappeared. President John Magufuli had prohibited pregnant students from continuing their studies in government schools. “My dream to become a secondary teacher was shattered,” she says, “I knew I was going to be expelled from school and from home too.” Karabana attempted suicide.
Living near Lake Victoria should mean something other than grappling with water scarcity. Addressing this paradox requires concerted efforts. The sixth Sustainable Development Goal emphasises universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation, improved water quality, and protection of water-related ecosystems by 2030.
Tanzania has made strides toward this goal, particularly in the Mara Region, with TZS 15.7 billion (USD 6.76 million) invested in water projects over the last two years, including water tanks, pumps, and kiosks. “The government aims to develop water projects to meet the national policy of water distribution within 400 metres and to alleviate the burden on women,” says Engineer Edward Sironga, Rural Water and Sewerage Authority Manager in Musoma District.
Between 2015 and 2021, Tanzania reduced the percentage of households without sanitary toilets from 67 percent to 50 percent. Achieving universal access may take nearly 18 more years if this rate continues.
Without improvement to WASH, Tanzania will continue to face economic losses, which by 2030 could reach USD 4 billion in today’s value of money. The gains anticipated if basic WASH is achieved for everyone by 2030, according to the World Bank’s 2022 Tanzania Economic Update, are USD 1.1 billion per year, and WASH-related diseases and deaths are halved. Fast-tracking this goal to 2025 could lower losses to USD 820 million annually. The most ambitious scenario, featuring universal high-quality water and sanitation by 2030, could reduce losses to USD 330 million annually by 2030 and cut diseases and deaths by 80 percent.
Resolving WASH issues reduces waterborne diseases, bolsters safety, and generates economic benefits, with every Tanzanian Shilling invested yielding fourfold returns.
However, focusing on infrastructure alone is not enough. “It is essential to focus on comprehensive health education,” says Dr Odhiambo. Proper water and sanitation infrastructure can reduce negative impacts, including the gendered burden, but the actual positive impact requires cultural and social transformations.
“It is essential to focus on comprehensive health education.”
Dr Martin Odhiambo
For Karabana, the future looks brighter. Under the leadership of President Samiah Suluhu, East Africa’s first female president, the Back to School Programme was implemented. Now, Karabana is enrolled at the Musoma Folk Development College, pursuing both vocational training and an academic program as she prepares for her qualifying test by September. She has revived her ambitious dream of becoming a teacher.
The wellbeing of millions across the Nile Basin is intrinsically tied to the health of Lake Victoria. Issues of pollution and contamination create the paradox of living near a vast water source yet suffering from water scarcity. Resolving this paradox lies in a simple truth: healing the lake through investments in WASH services not only restores this vital resource but also enhances health, economy, and potential.
This same truth can help resolve the gender burden. Healing the wounds that women suffer from improves the overall health of communities and unlocks economic potential for the future. Together, these efforts can create a new narrative of restoration, equality, and a brighter, more equitable future for all.
This article is part of The Niles Issue #19, The Feminine & The Nile, produced by Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT) with financial support from the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). It is part of the initiative The Niles: Strengthening Media Capacities and Networks in the Nile Basin, supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office (AA). The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of SIWI, GIZ, the German Federal Foreign Office, or MiCT.
