Tanzania is one of 18 African countries that are expected to experience a serious shortage of water by 2025 due to failure to protect water sources. The same situation has rendered a number of African countries unable to meet their water requirements for domestic use, sanitation, industry and agriculture.

In the region of 100 million people in Southern Africa do not have access to safe drinking water and nearly 155 million do not have access to improved sanitation facilities. It has been reported that the amount of fresh water available for each person in Africa today is about one quarter of what it was in 1950.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that 70% of the population in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region depends on agriculture for living.

The situation is further exacerbated by a number of related factors such as rapid population growth in many countries, rapid urbanisation, increase of agricultural and industrial activities and climate change, coupled with poor capacity to manage fresh water resources.