MTUWASA

The Government of Tanzania in collaboration with Bilateral Partners, Multilateral Agencies Religious institutions and the local communities have been investing in rural and urban water supply projects since Independence in 1961. In the water supply and sanitation decade (1981 – 1991), Tanzania observed a vast increase in the number of water supply schemes due to the involvement of a big number of foreign donors through this special program.

As the water projects and the resulting scheme water supply schemes increased, operation and maintenance (O&M) became a burden to the government. Many water supply schemes ceased to operate due to lack of funds for O&M. This situation forced the government to engage a consultant to study and come up with the best options of running water supplies starting with urban water supplies. The consultant advised the government to establish autonomous entities to run urban water supplies instead of total dependency on the government. Based on this study 18 urban water supply departments were established and in 1998 they were transformed to urban water supply authorities.

The Mtwara Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MTUWASA) was established along with other seventeen (17) Regional water Authorities in January, 1998 under the water works ordnance, Cap. 281. This water Act was repealed and replaced by the water supply and sanitation Act No. 12 of 2009 and revised in water supply and sanitation Act No. 05 of 2019. MTUWASA is a legal entity mandated to provide sustainable water supply and sanitation services in Mtwara/Mikindani Municipality, Peri- urban areas and Nanyamba Town Council