The United Kingdom announced on Wednesday, April 1, that since 2009 it has invested $79.9 million in Mozambique’s water supply systems, providing safe drinking water to 1.8 million people in rural areas.
“Over 1.8 million people in rural Mozambique now have access to safe drinking water,” stated the European country in a press release marking the conclusion of the Transforming Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (T-WASH) program.
According to the document, the T-WASH project, implemented between 2015 and 2026, helped finance over 200 water systems and around 2,000 wells in rural communities, strengthening the planning, delivery, and maintenance of water and sanitation services.
“The T-WASH program was implemented in two funding phases and improved sanitation for 3.3 million people. The UK also supported Mozambique’s National Rural Water and Sanitation Strategy (PRONASAR), ongoing since 2009. Initiatives were carried out in partnership with the National Directorate of Water Supply and Sanitation (DNAAS),” the release explained.
The note cited by Lusa highlighted the significant benefits for women and girls, stating that “research showed access to safe drinking water improved women’s physical and emotional health, reduced the time spent collecting water, and increased school attendance among girls in some communities.” With T-WASH ending, the UK plans to focus on mobilizing funds for climate finance and private investment to ensure the long-term sustainability of the infrastructure already built.
“As this program concludes, we are also changing how we position ourselves in Mozambique’s water and sanitation sector. Our partnership with the Government has shown that sustainable water access must ultimately be driven by strong local systems,” explained Dominic Ashton, UK Development Director in Mozambique.
Recently, the government recognized a $14.3 billion funding gap in the water sector, emphasizing the urgency of mobilizing resources to address structural challenges in water management and sanitation. This was highlighted by the Minister of Public Works, Housing, and Water Resources, Fernando Rafael, during a roundtable held following World Water Day on March 22.
Rafael described the investment as structural, directly impacting key sectors such as agriculture, industry, fisheries, tourism, and services, while also protecting communities. “The climate emergency is no longer a future projection; it is a present condition requiring political decisions, funding, and coordinated action,” he stated.
Despite progress, Rafael noted that challenges remain significant. Currently, water supply coverage stands at 63%, while sanitation reaches only 38.9% of the population. These figures reveal persistent inequalities and the need to accelerate sector interventions.
“Sanitation remains the greatest structural challenge. This is where the country must focus its efforts,” he warned, noting that over 7 million Mozambicans still practice open defecation, particularly in rural areas, negatively affecting public health, productivity, and human dignity.
Source: Diário Económico
