Chapter Nineteen: Community Participation and Compliant Redressal System in Operation and Maintenance of Water Supply and Sanitation Projects

1 Chapter Nineteen: Community Participation and Compliant Redressal System in Operation and Maintenance of Water Supply and Sanitation Projects

1.1 Institutional Roles and Responsibilities

The Ministry, Water Utility/Agency, Local Governments and Communities cannot succeed on their own. They need to co-operate in the whole process of provision of water supply and sanitation services. In ensuring co-operation, each stakeholder should understand the roles and responsibilities they can play in the overall process. Other internal and external stakeholders may include line departments/sections responsible for O&M in the utility/agency, training institutions, and the local private sector and NGOs. In this context, community has a great role in operation and maintenance of the water supply and sanitation projects in ensuring sustenance of services.

1.1.1 Roles of Ministries

(a) Coordination of various ministerial departments, i.e. MoW, PO-RALG, MoEST, MoW
(b) Provide managerial and technical backstopping on implementation of water and sanitation projects in the community,
(c) Facilitate in establishing clear communication lines between water committees with service providers and any agency offering backstopping skills,
(d) Provide frameworks to the water organizations on tariff setting in water and sanitation projects that is undertaken by EWURA and RUWASA,
(e) Undertaking major repairs and augmentations,
(f) Review of the operation and maintenance manual,
(g) Review of aspects of sustainability of water supply and sanitation projects,
(h) Allocating special funds to execute contingency plans so that the water supply schemes are not affected by inadequate power supply, adverse seasonal conditions like drought periods and natural calamities like earthquake, floods, etc.

1.1.2 Roles of Urban and Local Government Authorities

(a) Sensitize communities in contributing towards meeting O&M costs,
(b) Facilitate in ensuring security and safety of water sources and supply systems,
(c) Support management of water and sanitation projects,
(d) Preparation of by-laws,
(e) Liaising with Ministry of Lands regarding water sources conservation.

1.1.3 Roles of Basin Water Boards

(a) Provision of technical backstopping on implementation of water supply and sanitation schemes, especially in the aspect of water sources and adaptation to climate change impacts,
(b) Water sources protection and pollution control,
(c) Provide guidelines and standards for construction and maintenance of water source structures, (d) Approve, issue and revoke water use and discharge permits (compliance);
(e) Monitor and enforce water use and discharge permits and pollution prevention measures;
(f) Monitor compliance to the water use and discharge permits granted,
(g) Promote water use efficiency to all stakeholders,
(h) Put a mechanism to ensure that, the infrastructure of water management are properly
maintained and a comprehensive preventive maintenance system is in place,
(i) Develop its own water quality-monitoring programme, adhere to it and publish the results for the public,
(j) Put in place and publish a workable water demand management system,
(k) Put in place mechanisms for water sources protection and conservation of the environment/catchments.

1.1.4 Roles of the Regulators (EWURA and RUWASA)

In Tanzania, two regulators can be identified for urban and rural and suburban areas respectively and these are EWURA and RUWASA.

1.1.4.1 Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA)

The roles of EWURA for urban and National WSSA including the following in relation to water supply and sanitation services shall be to:
(a) Exercise licensing and regulatory functions in respect of water supply and sanitation services;
(b) Establish standards relating to equipment attached to the water and sanitation system;
(c) Establish guidelines on tariffs chargeable for the provisions of water supply and sanitation services;
(d) Approve tariffs chargeable for the provision of water supply and sanitation services;
(e) Monitor water quality and standards of performance for the provision of water supply and sanitation services;
(f) Initiate and conduct investigations in relation to the quality of water and standards of service given to consumers;
(g) Conduct studies necessary for administrative or management purposes;
(h) Collect and compile data on licensees as it considers necessary for the performance of its functions;
(i) Issue orders or give directions to any person granted a license in respect of a regulated activity under this Act or other written law;
(j) Charge levies, and fees applicable to Water Authority and other sector participants in respect of regulatory activities of the EWURA charged in accordance with section 41 of the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority Act;
(k) Establish or approve standards and codes of conduct in respect of: (i) licensees; (ii) consumers; and (iii) public safety;
(l) Promote the development of water supply and sanitation services in accordance with recognized international standard practices and public demand;
(m) Prescribe rules and declaration and cause the same to be published in the Gazette and in at least one Kiswahili and one English newspaper circulating in a water authority’s area of jurisdiction; and
(n) Perform other functions which are incidental or ancillary to the major functions.

1.1.4.2 Roles of Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA)

The roles of RUWASA are as outlined in the water supply and sanitation Act No. 5 of 2019 follows:

(a) Development and sustainable management of rural water supply and sanitation projects.
(b) Plan, design, construct and supervise rural water supply projects;
(c) Conduct ground water survey including prospecting and explorations, and undertake drilling operations including water well flushing and pumping test, and rehabilitation of water wells;
(d) Design and construct dams of different types and carry out geotechnical and soil investigation for dam construction and other civil engineering structures;
(e) Monitor and evaluate performance of community organizations in relation to rural water supply and sanitation services;
(f) Promote and sensitize rural communities on sanitation, hygiene education and practice as well as protection and conservation of rural water sources;
(g) Provide financial and technical support to community organizations (CBWSOs) for major maintenance of rural water supply schemes;
(h) Provide support to community organizations in relation to management, operation and maintenance of rural water supply schemes;
(i) Advise the Minister on issues related to rural water supply and sanitation;
(j) Facilitate participation of communities in the identification, planning, construction and
(k) Management of rural water and sanitation projects;
(l) Facilitate private sector engagement in the provision of the rural water supply and sanitation services;
(m) Facilitate training and capacity building to community organizations in financial, technical and management of rural water supply schemes;
(n) Register and regulate the performance of community based water supply organizations.

1.1.5 Roles of Water Supply and Sanitation Authorities

(a) Monitor operations and maintenance of the water and sanitations networks and respond immediately on any system default,
(b) Implement the tariffs set by the regulator (EWURA/RUWASA) in accordance with the type of the water supply and sanitation projects,
(c) Study community perception towards the services provided,
(d) Redress/Mitigate community complaints on the services provided,
(e) Collaborate with LGAs and communities (CBWSOs) in running the water supply and sanitation projects,
(f) Access managerial and technical backstopping on implementation of water supply and sanitation projects in the community from regulators (EWURA/RUWASA),
(g) Establish clear communication lines between the CBWSOs and service providers and any agency offering backstopping skills,
(h) Rehabilitate dilapidated infrastructure.

1.2 Community Participation and Motivation in Maintenance of Water Supply and Sanitation Projects

The task is to build confidence and general awareness among the community for taking up the management of water facilities for their satisfaction water supply protection and sustainability of system. Community mobilization can be taken up through different activities and with different focus groups. Upon undertaking such activities, the community may contribute the following:
(a) Participate in conservation of water sources, water supply and sanitation infrastructures,
(b) Pay for water supply and sanitation services provided,
(c) Provide feedbacks to the water supply utility/agency on the functionality or failure of the water supply and sanitation projects.

1.2.1 Roles of Service Providers

(a) Ensure availability of appropriate and quality system spare parts and tools,
(b) Provide technical backstopping on operationalization and maintenance of water supply and sanitation schemes in the community.

1.2.2 Roles of Academic and Research Institutions

(a) Collaborate and coordinate researches on finding solutions pertaining to socio-economic and technological factors influencing or affecting the sustainability of water and sanitation projects,
(b) Training operators in management of the projects,
(c) Innovating new means of enhancements of water supply and sanitation projects.

1.2.3 Roles of NGOs and CBOs

(a) Sensitize community to trigger the sense of ownership and protection water and sanitation facilities,
(b) Educate community on integration and good water and sanitation practices,
(c) Provide managerial and technical backstopping on implementation of water and sanitation schemes in the community as provided for in the Water Supply and Sanitation Act No. 5 of 2019.

1.2.4 Roles of CBWSOs

The CBWSOs are legal water organizations established for the purpose of operating and managing water supply projects. The recent water sector reform through Water Act No. 5 of 2019 has changed the organization structure and administrative systems. Technical teams comprising of a technician and an accountants at certificate levels who are employed rather than volunteers, now manage these organizations. The role of water committee comprising of representative from beneficiaries is to monitor the efficiency of the technical team.

Roles of CBWSOs includes to:
(a) Own movable and immovable properties including public taps and waterworks;
(b) Manage, operate and maintain public taps and waterworks and provide an adequate and safe supply of water to its consumers;
(c) Determine rules for the use of public taps and or waterworks by consumers;
(d) Install water meters for the purpose of measuring the amount of water supplied to a public tap or a consumer;
(e) Charge consumers for the water supplied from public taps and or waterworks;
(f) Limit the access of any persons from the water source, public taps or from supplies from the waterworks who are not complying with the rules, regulations or the constitution of the community organization;
(g) Consult and cooperate with the village council or any other institution responsible for land to plan and control the use of land in the immediate vicinity of the water points and or waterworks; and
(h) Do such other thing or enter into any transaction which, in the opinion of the Community Water Committee is necessary and proper in carrying out its obligations.

1.3 Complaint Communication and Redressal System

Deficiency in maintenance and service delivery may occur in water supply and sanitation projects components maintained. In such a complex scenario, general public who intend to make a compliant on deficiency in maintenance of the project may not be aware who is the concerned authority to set right the deficiency and to whom to make the complaint. RUWASA will be the body which will review any appeals from the consumers.

1.3.1 Complaint Communication

The procedure for lodging complaints should be as follows:
(a) A complaint cell may be created in the water supply utility and RUWASA office equipped with necessary soft & hard skills duly giving adequate publicity about the nature of the complaint can be made and also the details such as E-mail address/ fax number/ telephone number/ postal address, etc. of the complaint cell,
(b) As being done in the case of emergency need of Police/ Fire service , a three digit toll free number may be assigned for lodging urgent complaint through Telephone/ mobile phone,
(c) A member of general public who instantly comes across any leakage/ overflow or any deficiency in maintenance of the schemes may lodge a complaint to the three digit number,
(d) Immediately after receipt of the complaint, a compliant number will be assigned and informed to the complainant, if the complaint is received by phone/E-mail.

1.3.2 Redressal System

Complaint received may be examined and determine which maintenance agency/unit is within an hour of receipt of the compliant. It may be informed either by phone/ e-mail to the department/utility/WSSA/RUWASA or to the local area (CBWSOs). If the complaint is received through post, also the above system may be adopted.
(a) The respective maintenance agency should intimate the stage of action taken the next day to the complaint cell,
(b) The cell will create necessary files/ documents in computer and register the name and address of complainant, mode of receipt of compliant, assigning of complaint number, agency who is attending the complaint, present stage of action taken, etc.,
(c) The complaint cell may inform the facts such as who is the agency attending the complaints, their contact number and stage of action taken to the complainant, the next day after receipt of complaint (by phone/SMS/E-mail),
(d) The respective maintenance agency should report final stage of action taken within two days to the complaint cell (by phone/SMS/E-mail),
(e) The complaint cell may inform the final action taken, to the complainant immediately after receipt of details received from the concerned maintenance agency,
(f) EWURA or RUWASA may review the status of complaints received every week.

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