tuwasa

What tuwasa does

TUWASA (Tabora Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority) is a statutory government water and sanitation utility authority operating under Tanzania's Ministry of Water. It delivers clean water and sanitation services to Tabora Municipality and surrounding districts (Sikonge, Urambo, Kaliua, and Isikizya in Uyui District), serving approximately 35,485 connected customers as of February 2024 across residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial categories. The authority is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Mr. Dick L. Mlimuka with Eng. Mayunga Anthony Kashilimu as Managing Director, and it operates within a regulatory framework established by the Water Supply and Sanitation Act, 2019 and Government Announcement No. 788 of November 3, 2023.

The authority's core technology is a physical water infrastructure network: dams (Igombe, Kazima, Utyata), boreholes and shallow wells, a 1,288.2 km distribution network, 24,490 cubic metres of storage capacity, metered household/business connections, and community water kiosks. Raw water is drawn primarily from Lake Victoria and Igombe Dam, with combined production capacity of 57,842,000 litres per day — stated to be sufficient to meet Tabora Municipality demand until 2045. The 28 Towns Water Project (TZS 143.26 billion / ~USD 62.2 million), implemented by Megha Engineering and Infrastructure under WAPCOS consultancy, is the flagship capacity-expansion program, intended to extend Lake Victoria supply to Sikonge, Urambo, and Kaliua and serve 435,811–490,000 residents. Supporting digital services include an e-Government Authority-hosted portal for new connections, bill viewing, issue reporting, and sewage removal requests.

Revenue is generated through three principal streams: usage-based water tariffs ranging from TZS 1,100 to TZS 2,900 per 1,000 litres across customer categories and districts; one-time new connection fees (TZS 150,000 during promotional periods); and recurring sanitation/sewage services including truck-based sewage removal. Bill collection is enabled through bank agents and mobile money platforms (M-PESA, Airtel Money, Tigo Pesa, HaloPesa). The customer mix is geographically segmented (Tabora Municipality primary at 95% coverage; Sikonge 40.5–89%; Urambo 24.5%; Kaliua 25–26%) and vertically segmented by tariff category (Majumbani/residential, Biashara/business, Taasisi/institutions, Viwanda/industrial, Magati/kiosks). TUWASA holds a statutory regional monopoly, operates without equity funding rounds (capital comes from the Ministry of Water budget), and does not publicly disclose financial figures.

Name

tuwasa

Legal name

Tabora Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (TUWASA)

Website

https://tuwasa.go.tz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TUWASA is a Tanzanian government water and sanitation utility authority serving Tabora Municipality and surrounding districts with clean water supply and sewage services through 1,288 km of distribution infrastructure to approximately 35,485 connected customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Supply and Sanitation Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Raw Water Conveyance & Transmission (Aqueducts, Mains, Pumping Stations) (EUANAAAB), Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Environmental Public Health (Food Safety, Water Quality, Sanitation) (BPAIAJAE)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Sanitation services
• Water supply distribution
• Sewage management
• Municipal water authority

Headquarters

HQ city

Tabora

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Water Supply Services: Sale of treated water to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers through metered connections. Revenue is generated through usage-based billing per 1000 litres, with different tariff rates for customer categories.
2. New Connection Fees: One-time fees charged for new water and sewage connections, including installation and infrastructure setup.
3. Sanitation Services: Sewage collection and disposal services, including sewage truck services and connection to sanitation infrastructure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TUWASA provides clean and safe water supply and sanitation services to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers across Tabora Municipality, Isikizya, Sikonge, Urambo, and Kaliua. Water is sourced from Lake Victoria, Igombe Dam, Kazima Dam, Utyata Dam, and boreholes, and distributed through a 1,288.2 km pipeline network, metered connections, and community water kiosks. The authority also offers sewage collection and treatment along with online customer services for new connections, bill management, and issue reporting.

Product overview

TUWASA (Tabora Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority) is a government water utility providing clean and safe water and sanitation services across five areas: Tabora Municipality, Isikizya, Sikonge, Urambo, and Kaliua. Its core product portfolio consists of two main offerings: Clean and Safe Water Service and Sanitation Services, supported by online service modules for new connections, bill viewing, issue reporting, and sewage removal. Water is sourced from Lake Victoria, Igombe Dam, Kazima Dam, Utyata Dam, and shallow wells/boreholes, and distributed through pipe networks, water meters, and community water kiosks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clean and Safe Water Service TUWASA's primary service providing clean and safe drinking water to residents and businesses in Tabora Municipality, Isikizya, Sikonge, Urambo, and Kaliua through a network of pipes, water meters, and water kiosks. Water is sourced from Lake Victoria, Igombe Dam, Kazima Dam, Utyata Dam, and boreholes.
• Sanitation Services Sanitation and sewage management services including sewage collection, treatment infrastructure (sludge ponds), and sewage water removal for residential and commercial customers across TUWASA's service area.
• New Water Connection Service Service for requesting new clean water or sewage service connections, with online application and infrastructure installation by TUWASA. Includes a promotional rate of TZS 150,000 with connection completed within 7 working days for properties within 5-50 metres of the main pipe.
• Sewage Water Removal Service Service for requesting removal of sewage water from customer premises, supported by TUWASA's sewage truck fleet and treatment infrastructure.
• Water Disconnection and Reconnection Service Service for disconnecting and reconnecting water supply for customers, including promotional offers for reconnection during holiday seasons and structured payment plans for outstanding debt.
• Water Kiosk Service Community water access points where kiosk operators distribute water to residents in underserved areas, with regulated pricing at TZS 30 per 20-litre bucket.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% water service coverage achieved in Tabora Municipality and Isikizya
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Megha Engineering and Infrastructure LTDcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 11 April 2023Indian contractor implementing the 28 Towns Water Project to deliver Lake Victoria water to Sikonge, Urambo, and Kaliua districts at a cost of TZS 143.26 billion. Project started April 11, 2023, scheduled for completion October 2025.
• PERITUS EXIM PRIVATE LIMITEDminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 22 February 2023Contractor from Dar-es-salaam implementing the Tabora Municipal Sludge Ponds project worth TZS 1.628 billion for a period of 12 months.
• WAPCOS (Water and Power Consultancy Services)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject consultant overseeing the 28 Towns Water Project implementation, providing technical supervision and quality assurance.
• Ministry of WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent ministry providing policy direction, funding approval, and oversight for TUWASA operations and projects. TUWASA operates under the Ministry's supervision.
• KASHWASA (Kahama Water Supply and Sanitation Authority)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighboring water authority providing water supply services. TUWASA receives water from Lake Victoria infrastructure managed by KASHWASA.
• RUWASA (Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Authority)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural water authority serving areas outside TUWASA's jurisdiction in Tabora region. Staff from TUWASA and RUWASA jointly participate in the 28 Towns Project implementation.
• Mobile Network Operators (M-PESA, Airtel Money, Tigo Pesa, HaloPesa)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTelecommunications companies providing mobile money payment platforms for customer bill payments and service fees.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA): Tanzania's largest urban water and sewerage utility, operating under the same Ministry of Water regulatory regime and Water Supply and Sanitation Act 2019 as TUWASA, but at a substantially larger scale across the Dar es Salaam metropolitan area. Closely aligned statutory model and product set.
• National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC Uganda): Statutory national water and sewerage utility in neighboring Uganda, providing water and sanitation services across more than 250 towns. Operates a comparable statutory public-utility model with similar revenue streams (metered tariffs, new connection fees) and infrastructure mandate, although at substantially larger national scale.
• Rand Water: Largest water utility in Africa, a South African statutory bulk-water provider supplying potable water to municipal customers across Gauteng and surrounding provinces. Comparable statutory mandate, infrastructure scale (dams, treatment works, bulk pipelines), and tariff-based revenue model, though at significantly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company: Statutory urban water utility serving Nairobi, Kenya under a parallel East African service-delivery model. Similar dual water-and-sanitation mandate, tiered tariff structure by customer category, and government-oversight governance regime, serving as a regional benchmark for utility operations.
• Kahama Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (KASHWASA): Neighboring Tanzanian statutory WSSA explicitly named in TUWASA's data as the upstream water source under the Lake Victoria transmission system. Operates the same water-supply-and-sanitation authority model across Kahama Municipality with similar regulatory oversight from the Ministry of Water.
• Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA): Tanzanian government agency providing rural water and sanitation services in areas outside TUWASA's jurisdiction within Tabora Region. TUWASA and RUWASA staff jointly participate in the 28 Towns Project, reflecting strong operational overlap and complementary service-area coverage.
• Arusha Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (AUWASA): Tanzanian statutory WSSA providing water and sanitation services to Arusha Municipality under the same Ministry of Water framework. Closely comparable in scale, mandate, governance, and customer-base composition to TUWASA.
• Mwanza Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MOWASA): Statutory WSSA serving Mwanza City on the shores of Lake Victoria, with the same regulatory mandate, tariff structure, and dual water-plus-sanitation remit as TUWASA. Directly comparable in governance model and product offering, serving a similar mid-sized Tanzanian urban market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tuwasa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about tuwasa