User:Abcquantumle/Water privatization in Dar es Salaam

This article laid the groundwork for understanding the private sector on the compound challenges that change over time by different groups, events, and individuals to meet the need for water and sanitation efforts. This adds to Tanzania's specific to the impacts due to water privatization.

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Water privatization in Dar es Salaam began with the award of a 10-year lease contract signed in 2003 for Dar es Salaam, the largest city and former capital of Tanzania. It was signed between the government of Tanzania and City Water, a consortium consisting of the former British firm Biwater, Gauff Engineers from Germany and a Tanzanian company called Superdoll. The Tanzanian government terminated the lease contract in May 2005 amid mutual allegations of breach of contract, and deported the three top executives of City Water. '''Though the stated goals of privatizing and liberalizing were to lower costs and increase safe water access, in fact Biwater imposed higher fees and needed more water infrastructure, resulting in less availability and a lack of transparency. '''

History
According to a report of ActionAid, before privatization "the water system in Dar es Salaam was hardly a model of public sector efficiency." Until 1991, water was provided for free, except for some high income areas. The system was characterized by "disrepair, a lack of investment, high levels of wastage, and very poor levels of service coverage". In 1997 the semi-autonomous utility DAWASA was created and water tariffs were introduced for all users. According to the report, "DAWASA proved to be no better than its predecessor, and the wastage and disrepair reached crisis levels." By 2003 "only 98,000 households in a city of 2.5 million people had house connections. Only 26% of water was being billed, 60% was lost through leaks, and a further 13% through unauthorized use, illegal taps and non-payers. Even those with connections only received water irregularly, and the water quality was poor. In low-income areas, the vast majority of households had no water connection at all, relying instead on buying water from kiosks, water vendors or their neighbours, at more than three times the price."

'''The Dublin Statement of 1992 pushed for more participatory engagement within policy framing for water in countries around the world. In Tanzania, water access was being monitored as part of international development loan conditions. Simultaneously, the entire globe was in an economic crisis. However, the World Bank pushed the Structural Adjustment Program to alleviate the crisis, which in turn led to water privatization and increase in poverty levels '''

Impact
Water in Tanzania has become a costly commodity: while paying exorbitant water bills, many were forced to buy water from other private vendors at even higher rates. If customers failed to pay their water bills, Water Officers would shut off water supply.

Lead
=== Though the stated goals of privatizing and liberalizing were to lower costs and increase safe water access, in fact Biwater imposed higher fees and needed more water infrastructure, resulting in less availability and a lack of transparency. ===