Assessing Professional Capacity and Need in Tanzania Groundwater Supply

It is a common situation for Western donors to assist partners in Tanzania with water supply development projects. In planning such projects it is important to understand both the nature and capacity of water resources and local partners in developing water supplies. Tanzania has hydrogeologists and water supply (including water well) construction contractors, but a lack of professional standards, associations and registries can make locating the right people difficult. For projects in both central and northern Tanzania (Dodoma and Kilimanjaro regions), groundwater supply construction is technically challenging. In Dodoma, obtaining both adequate yield and suitable water quality depends upon the location. Both benefit from employing hydrogeologic analysis in well siting, planning, and testing.

A legitimate role for Western professionals (hydrogeologists, engineers, etc.) in such projects is to identify and vet local professionals, but not to displace them. Identifying and communicating with the professionals requires a combination of personal networking and interviews. This requires that professionals advising donors to travel to Tanzania to become acquainted with the local professional and cultural scene, diplomacy, and appreciation of different approaches and skill sets. For example, in our experience, Tanzanian hydrogeologists are highly adept at well siting with surface geophysics, but well performance testing is not as well developed, construction standards debatable, and reporting is casual. Culturally, Western professionals may need to learn to work with unfamiliar local institutions.

A future role here is working alongside local professionals to transfer techniques and technology, build capacity (e.g., establishing professional associations and training), equip local professionals to better compete with multinational firms and the professional capacity of foreign governments, and to make local assets better known to the international community. A good start has come through personal connections, the establishment of technical assets “on the ground”, and growing experience with projects.