Tanzania - Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project : environmental assessment (Vol. 3 of 4) : Mpwapwa District

E492 Vol. 3 UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA MINISTRY OF WATER & LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT Environmental Assessment (EA) Report for Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Project (RWSSP) MPWAPWA DISTRICT March 2001 A.M.L. AKO Senior Associate Consultant (Environment & Natural Resource) SERVICEPLAN LTD P.O. Box 33165, Dar Es Salaam. Tel: 72394 Fax: 2700133 E-mail: serviceplan @ ud. co.tz FILE COPY  TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS ..................................................... III EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................V 1.0 INTRODUCTION ..................................................... 1 1.1 GENERAL ......................................................1 1.2 THE STUDY AREA ......................................................1 1.3 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ..............................................2 1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS .....................................................2 1.5 GENERAL APPROACH & METHODOLOGY ....................................................3 1.5.1 GENERAL APPROACH ......................................................3 1.5.2 METHODOLOGY ......................................................3 2.0 POLICY, LEGISLATION & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ............... ...............5 2.1 POLICY .....................................................5 2.2 LEGISLATION & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK .8 2.2.1 LEGISLATION ......................................................8 2.2.2 STANDARDS GOVERNING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY .. 15 2.2.3 EA REQUIREMENTS AND GOT CAPACITY TO HANDLE EIA .. 19 2.2.4 INSTITUTIONAL NEEDS AND CAPACITY .................................................. 22 3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...................................................... 26 4.0 BIO-PHYSICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ............ .............. 31 4.1 BIO-PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ........................... ........................... 31 4.2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ..................................................... 33 5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ........... .......... 37 6.0 MITIGATION MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING PLAN .................................... 40 6.1 MITIGATION MANAGEMENT PLAN ...................................................... 40 6.2 TRAINING PLAN .................................................... . 43 7.0 MONITORING PLAN AND MONITORING INDICATORS ............................... 47  LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1: EA CHECKLIST FOR COMMUNITY SUB-PROJECTS .......................... 50 TABLE 2: MITIGATION PLAN ................................................. 40 TABLE 3: PROPOSED TRAINING PLAN .................................................. 46 TABLE 4: CHECKLIST OF MONITORING INDICATORS ...................................... 51 LIST OF FIGURES FIG. 1: MAP OF MPWAPWA DISTRICT -RURAL ROADS AND VILLAGE CENTRES. 4 FIG 2: MAP OF MPWAPWA DISTRICT-AGRO-ECONOMIC ZONES . 30 FIG. 3: MAP OF PROJECT AREA-LAND USE AND LAND VEGETATION COVER ................................................... 36 LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX I: EA CHECKLIST AND CHECKLIST OF MONITORING INDICATORS ............................................................. 50 APPENDIX II: REFERENCES ............................................................ 53 APPENDIX III: VILLAGE BASELINE INFORMATION ........................................... 55 APPENDIX IV: WATER SUPPLY STATUS AND WATER FUND .......................... 69 APPENDIX V: WATER QUALITY DATA ............................................................ 70 APPENDIX Vl: LIST OF AUTHORITIES CONTACTED DURING THE STUDY ..... 71 APPENDIX VII: TERMS OF REFERENCE ............................................................. 73 APPENDIX Vil ... ...... LIST OF STUDY TEAM MEMBERS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ........................................... 74 APPENDIX IX: CONSULTANT'S CURRICULUM VITAE ....................................... 75 ii  LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS AfDB = African Development Bank AIDS = Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome ASPS = Agricultural Sector Programme Support BAT = Best Affordable Technology BWB = Basin Water Board CBOs = Community Based Organizations CDOs = Community Development Officers CWB = Central Water Board DAWASA= Dar Es Salaam Water & Sewerage Authority DBSPE = District Based Support Programme on Education DCs = District Councils DECs = District Environment Committees DED = District Executive Director DHV = Foreign Consultant Firm from Netherlands DMPP = Dodoma Micro-project Programme DWE = District Water Engineer DWR = Division of Water Resource DWSP = District Water & Sanitation Plan DWSSSF = District Water Supply & Sanitation Fund DWST = District Water & Sanitation Team EA = Environmental Assessment EC = European Community EEC = European Economic Commission EIA = Environmental Impact Assessment EIS = Environmental Impact Statement EMP = Environmental Management Plan ESAs = External Support Agencies EU = European Union FAO = Food & Agricultural Organization GOT = Government of Tanzania HIV = Human Immune Virus IDA = International Development Agency IIED = International Institute for Environment & Development IRA = Institute of Resource Assessment LAMP = Land Management Programme LLL = Linked Local Learning Maendeleo ya Jamii na Afya MEM = Ministry of Energy & Minerals MOEC = Ministry of Education & Culture MOH = Ministry of Health MOW = Ministry of Water MWLD = Ministry of Water & Livestock Development MTNRE = Ministry of Tourism, Natural Resource & Environment NCSSD = National Conservation Strategy for Sustainable Development NEAP = National Environment Action Plan NEMC = National Environment Management Council NEP = National Environment Policy iii  NGOs = Non-Governmental Organizations NPA = Norwegian People's Aid NSPCA = Norwegian State Pollution Control Authority NUWA = National Urban Water Authority NWP = National Water Policy NWRC = National Water Resource Commission NWRMP = National Water Resource Management Policy O&M = Operation & Maintenance PID = Project Information Document PO = Partner Organization PWO = Public Water Office RBWO = River Basin Water Office RWD = Rural Water Division RWE = Regional Water Engineer RWSS = Rural Water Supply & Sanitation RWSSM = Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Management RWSSP = Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Project SCAPA = Soil Conservation & Agroforestry Programme SECAP = Soil Erosion Control & Agroforestry Programme STD = Sexually Transmitted Disease TAC = Technical Advisory Committee TAC = Technical Advisory Committee TANAPA - Tanzania National Parks TASAF = Tanzania Social Action Fund TBS = Tanzania Bureau of Standards TIST = Tanzania International Small Group Tree Planting ToR = Terms of Reference UN = United Nations UNCLOS = United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea UNEP = United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO = United Nations Education, Scientific & Cultural Organization UNICEF = United Nations Children Fund UPE = Universal Primary Education VC = Village Chairman VEO = Village Executive Officer VIP = Ventilated Improved Pit latrine VWCs = Village Water Committees VWSS = Village Water Supply & Sanitation WAMMA = WawezeshajiNVafadhili, Maji, WATSAN = Water & Sanitation WBO = Water Basin Office WEO = Ward Executive Officer WFP = World Food Programme WHO = World Health Organization WLU = Water Laboratory Unit WRM = Water Resource Management iv  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PROJECT This project is aimed at improving the existing water supply, sanitation & hygiene conditions for the rural communities of Mpwapwa district. The Mpwapwa district is located about 450 km from Dar Es Salaam City. The project is expected to involve rehabilitation and/or construction of new water supply schemes During project implementation attention will be given to sanitation, hygiene and related environmental issues. Focus will also be given to community health, especially promotion of AIDS/HIV prevention among the rural people through education & awareness campaigns. II. RATIONALE AND METHODOLOGY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) STUDY (a) Rationale for EA The Environmental Assessment (EA) study has been found necessary in order to incorporate environmental issues in the project design and sensitize the rural communities on environmental matters related to the project. The aim is to sensitize the community on environmental matters related to water supply & sanitation schemes. Specifically, the objective is to identify potentially negative environmental impacts of various community sub-projects and propose appropriate mitigation measures. The ultimate goal is to develop checklists of EA and checklist of monitoring indicators. (b) Methodology The study involved reviews of relevant documents, maps & reports, field observations, informal & formal interviews, discussions/meetings with community members including their leaders, as well as various authorities at village, district and national levels. Consultation with key informants provided opportunity to stimulate concern of various stakeholders and solicit their opinion on mitigation measures. Ill. MAJOR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT (i) Land degradation The project area is an arid land with unreliable rainfalls and land degradation is widespread. The problem of land degradation can be attributed to overgrazing, prolonged draught, bush fires and lack of conservation measures. During dry seasons topsoil remains almost bare with scattered and shrubs or thicket, hence making soils vulnerable to erosion. The most common type of land degradation includes surface sealing, soil compaction, sheet, rill and gully erosions. v  (ii) Air quality Frequent bush fires and fuel wood burning are the major source of CO & CO2 emissions that can contribute to air pollution and green house effect. However, no attempt has been made to estimate the amount of gaseous emission from the sources. (iii) Ground & Surface Water Potential The ground water in most cases water can be encountered only in deeper aquifers (>30-60m). Recharge rates are estimated between 1-4 L/s in lowland and 0-4 L/s on upper areas during dry seasons. Thus, construction of hand pump shallow wells may not be appropriate in most parts of the project area. Most of the streams in the project area are seasonal and due to prolonged draught and high soil permeability it is not common to find standing water bodies. However, in the mountainous areas natural springs are the potential sources. Rainwater harvesting by using roof catchment is another potential source of water that could be exploited in the project area. However, application of this technology at household level is limited by lack of knowledge and type of existing houses'. ,.v) Water Quality The report from the local people shows majority of boreholes and shallow wells contain saline water. This information is supported by laboratory analysis report, whereby total hardness (740 mg/l as CaCO3) was found to exceed the Tanzania standards (600 mg/I) for one borehole at Berege village. The amount of fluoride (319.5 mg/1) and turbidity (119 NTU) in this borehole was also found higher than the Tanzania standards, i.e. 8.0 mg/I for fluoride, and 30 NTU for turbidity levels. However, these findings are not conclusive and as such extensive investigation would be required. Nevertheless, findings indicate possible effect of geological formations on ground water quality. Although no laboratory analysis was done, pollution of surface water could be common due to human activities, trampling by livestock and incoming run-off during rainfalls. The most important pollutants affecting water quality are human faeces, animal dung, sediments and other debris from surface run-off. Agricultural contaminants such as pesticides and inorganic fertilizers could be another source of surface water pollution but so far, local people do not use agrochemical. (v) Sanitation & hygiene The majority of households have unlined pit latrines with mud walls and open roofs. These types of pit latrines are not durable creating a potential risk to human life as ' The majority of houses in the study area have their roofs built up of grass with soil on the top (known as "Tembe" houses). vi  they usually collapse, especially during rainfalls. The latrines also produce bad smell due to lack of ventilation. Again, due to lack of cover they provide a potential breeding site and reservoir for houseflies that may easily contaminate food and/or human eyes, especially children. For those reason diarrhea and trachoma are one of the most common diseases in the study area. Most houses do not boil drinking water or wash hands due to various reasons, but ignorance seems to be a major reason. However, sanitation & hygiene education is being offered by visiting MCH staff once per month. In some villages, sanitation & hygiene education is conducted by health officers in collaboration with water committees at least once per week. They also visit households to inspect pit latrines, waste disposal chambers (Karo) and solid waste disposal sites. B. POLICY, LEGISLATION & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK (i) Policy The relevant policies that support EA requirements for Tanzania is the National Environment Policy (NEP) and National Water Policy (NWP) formulated in 1997 and 2000, respectively. Both policies recognize the importance of incorporating environmental consideration in sectoral policies and programs. They also state that EA should be carried out for all major development projects before their commencement. However, findings indicate that: * There is no comprehensive legislation to support NEP implementation or EIA requirements in the country. . The NWP does not clearly state environmental awareness & education in its policy objectives, especially in relation to rural water supply & sanitation. * The policy considers EIA mandatory before execution of all major water supply projects. However, there are no sectoral guidelines for carrying out EIA in water resource projects. * The policy states that environmental issues will be analyzed at planning level but it does not give any implementation strategy to ensure that environmental issues are incorporated in all stages of water resource development. To rectify the above shortcomings it is recommended that: * Environmental awareness and education should be stated clearly in the NWP objectives. The policy objective should be to promote water supply, sanitation, environmental awareness and hygiene education. Another objective should be to promote environmental conservation and encourage environmentally sound practices and technologies that minimize vegetation destruction and water pollution. * MWLD should develop its own EIA guidelines to ensure that EIA is conducted properly to adequately address environmental issues in the water sector. The MWLD should establish an Environmental Unit or Section responsible for foreseeing vii  implementation of environmental management plans and maintain linkage and co- ordination with the Office of the Vice President through the Environment Division and NEMC. * Legislation to support implementation of EIA requirements in the water sector should be incorporated in the Water Utilization Act. (ii) Legislation The relevant legislation matters of environmental concern are those related to solid waste management, pollution control, environmental quality standards, land use, health & safety, mining, protection of wildlife, sensitive areas, unique flora & fauna, protection of natural & cultural resource. All these legislation are adequately covered in the sectoral ministries to address environmental issues including EIA requirements. However, no comprehensive legislation that enforces the implementation of NEP or empowers NEMC to make EIA requirements mandatory and legally binding. Again, there is no effective co-ordination and collaboration among environment and water- related sectors. It is therefore recommended that: