However, with population growth and limited sources of water, scarcity of this important commodity is driving its prices up, normally beyond the reach of the common people. Efforts are being made to curb the situation, but the reality shows that obtaining water in abundance is still a distant dream for the majority.

A visit to Kisarawe town, about 40 km from Dar es Salaam, showed that water is getting scarce as population grows and dwindling sources and resources of water. A 20 litre capacity jerrycan sells up to TZS 500 (about US $ 0.45). A family of six people would require a minimum of six such jerrycans, this translates to TZS 3,000 (about US $ 2.50). Therefore, slowly this natural commodity is turning into a luxury for most families whose income ranges between TZS 100,000 - 200,000 (about US $ 90.00 - 130.00) per month.

As a result, there are those who turn into using dirty water to meet their needs. Instead of helping them, they end up catching diseases that they have to pay a lot more to get cured. It is possible, therefore, to easily link poverty to water scarcity. In some rural areas in Tanzania, women and children walk long distances in search for water. In so doing they waste a lot of time that they could have spent producing.

Efforts need to be directed into this area. If water would be readily available and in abundance, then people's pace towards development would be enhanced.