Watershed degradation and water provision in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

Freshwater provision is an ecosystem service usually offered by natural watersheds but threatened by anthropogenic degradation. Pollution reduced water supply and led to high socio-economic costs. This study examined water accessibility in three wards of Morogoro Municipality in Tanzania in terms of; household sources of water supply, availability, consumption, and spending. It involved primary data collected through household questionnaire survey, key informant interviews and observation, and secondary data from water supply authority and basin offices. Quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive techniques that involved computation of maximum and minimum values, means, and percentages; and qualitative data by content analysis technique. About 80% of study respondents were not connected to the public water supply networks, they depended on sources like boreholes, wells, rainwater, and streams. Water supply was insufficient and partly unaffordable during scarcity. The study findings were linked to the UNESCO IHP-IX framework to achieve water-related SDGs, to improve water provision efficiency.