By Prosper Kwigize
In the Kagera Region of Tanzania, many families struggle to find clean water daily.
This area, situated in the Nile basin, has communities that often lack access to reliable water sources.
As surface water from rivers and lakes gets contaminated due to agriculture and poor sanitation, the importance of underground water becomes even more evident.
Deogratius Nzimiliamana lives in Buhororo Ward in Ngara District. He is among many who believe underground water is a much safer option than other surface water sources.
Nzimiliamana understands the risks of farming and raising animals, which can introduce harmful chemicals into surface water sources.
He reflects on his long experience with groundwater, stating, “I am in my 50s and have always relied on underground water. In the past, we could drink it straight, but now it’s not safe to do that.”
Access to clean water is a significant challenge in rural Tanzania, particularly in Kagera, where many families depend on surface water that can quickly become contaminated.
Nzimiliamana highlights that with proper care and management, groundwater can serve as a cleaner and safer alternative to polluted surface water.
“By protecting and overseeing these underground sources, communities can help ensure they have safe drinking water, thereby reducing the risk of waterborne diseases that severely impact the health of residents,” he notes.
The Kagera Region is situated over the Kagera aquifer, an underground water source shared by Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

Likewise, Ezekiel Nzabhayanga, an education officer in the Ngara District Council of Kagera Region, emphasizes the critical role that groundwater plays in the educational landscape, particularly for rural schools that lack access to piped water.
He explains that clean and reliable water sources are not merely a convenience but a foundational element supporting essential educational services, especially when learners are in good health.
Nzabhayanga asserts that the quality of education is intrinsically linked to the availability of safe water in schools that does not make them sick.
“Without adequate water services, students face immense challenges, including compromised hygiene practices, which can lead to increased absenteeism due to illness,” he narrates.
He is passionate about the idea that when schools prioritize access to groundwater, they enhance students’ health and create an environment conducive to learning, fostering academic success and overall well-being in these underserved communities.

Reducing the risk of waterborne diseases
In the Kagera region, water-related diseases are a major cause of illness and death. Rural water sources are particularly at risk of contamination since many areas lack proper sanitation facilities.
When people use untreated water from lakes or rivers or rely on dirty water for washing and cooking, they can become seriously ill, often suffering from diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, and typhoid fever.
According to the Nile Basin Initiative, families using groundwater from protected wells are less likely to contract waterborne diseases than those using surface water.
The Water and Sanitation Authority in city councils has an important job: they ensure that everyone has access to clean and safe water that meets their needs. But their responsibilities don’t stop there. They also need to protect and maintain water sources by creating guidelines on how to use water properly in wells and distribution centers.
Engineer Daud Gwiyera, the Ngara Water and Sanitation Authority manager, highlights that “human activities pose several risks to water sources.”
This includes farming practices and livestock management, where harmful chemicals are often used.
“Having clean water is also essential for basic hygiene,” notes Gwiyera.
In Kagera, where there may not be enough education about sanitation, having easy access to water encourages people to wash their hands more often, which is a simple but effective way to prevent the spread of diseases.
Human settlements and farming practices near water sources also create significant environmental and health challenges in the Kagera River basin.

Local voices
Kagisha Justas, a resident of the Misenyi District in the Kagera Region, understands the pressing challenges surrounding water safety in his community.
He voices his concerns about ponds and shallow wells, stating that the water from these facilities is often unreliable and its safety highly questionable.
“Many people suffer from water-related diseases,” he laments, reflecting on a particular experience when his son fell severely ill with a stomach condition attributed to drinking contaminated water.
Similarly, Shamira Mbaraka, a 13-year-old student at Bohari Primary School in Karagwe District, shares her struggles.
Previously reliant on surface water sources like ponds and shallow wells, she frequently suffered from typhoid and had to miss classes on numerous occasions.
However, since her family switched to groundwater sourced from a spring, Shamira has been able to study without interruption.
“Our spring must be protected because if the water dries up, students will face many challenges, especially going to school with dirty clothes and getting sick,” Mbaraka insists.
Mansour Kalokola, the Principal Environmental Health Officer in Ngara District, discloses the ongoing collaboration between water authorities and the health department.
This partnership aims to ensure that the water harvested and distributed to the public undergoes thorough testing and is certified for quality.
Kalokola stresses the importance of community action, urging residents to avoid constructing settlements near natural water sources, refrain from farming within 60 meters of these critical areas, and for farmers in the highlands to steer clear of harmful pesticides that risk contaminating water supplies.
“The issue of water safety is crucial for us. We are committed to ensuring that the water used by citizens for any purpose is clean and safe. Our goal is to protect them from transmitting various diseases,” he asserts firmly.
This story was produced with support from NBI Secretariat (Nile-Sec), which, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented a program across the Nile Basin focused on shared groundwater aquifers. The project’s goal was to improve water resource management at both the national and basin levels.
The first phase concentrated on building knowledge and capacity for the sustainable use and management of significant transboundary aquifers within the Nile Basin. Three aquifer areas were selected for intervention: the Kagera aquifer shared by Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi; the Mt Elgon aquifer shared by Uganda and Kenya; and the Gedaref-Adigrat aquifer shared by Sudan and Ethiopia. These aquifers are located in various climates, including arid, semi-arid, and tropical regions.
Initially, the phase involved gathering existing data and creating a Shared Aquifer Diagnostic Report (SADA) for the three selected aquifers. The subsequent phase engaged in groundwater modeling to enhance understanding of the aquifers and analyze scenarios based on changes in climate and groundwater use.