PIPED water generation has increased to 7 billion litres per annum, marginally increasing by 1.78 percent to the previous year.

Jumaa Aweso, the sector minister, cited this datum from a report by the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), when delivering budget estimates to the National Assembly yesterday.

He said the report also shows an increase in treated water infrastructure by 16.94percent over the [past year, with an 11percent increase in the number of people accessing water services timely.

The report says that challenges facing the water authorities include increases in water leakage as it has reached 37 percent, the lack of sanitation service infrastructure and unsatisfactory ratio of increased water demand to treated water supply.

Urban water services are overseen by the regulator in a similar manner as with energy, thus bringing water and sanitation, electricity, petroleum and natural gas under the same umbrella, he said.

EWURA's responsibilities include issuing licenses, overseeing adherence to license conditions, monitoring the quality and efficiency of service delivery, evaluating requests and setting cap prices in service delivery, and resolving disputes between service providers and clients.

Until April 2024, EWURA issued four licenses to sanitation and environmental sanitation authorities in urban areas of Rombo, Kyela Kasumulu, Njombe and Busega, he said.

The agency evaluated and approved new water service prices for seven sanitation authorities, listed as Dodoma, Makonde, Sumbawanga, Orkesumet, Mombo, Bariadi and Lindi, he said.

During the period, EWURA reviewed business plans of 11 sanitation and environmental sanitation authorities and approved six customer service contracts for Musoma, Liwale, Makambako, Lindi, Biharamulo and Geita authorities, he added.