due to the escalating environmental
degradation
ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA
(Xinhua) --
Tanzania’s Zanzibar,
the semi-autonomous region, risks having no fresh water in the future due to the
escalating environmental degradation, a official warned on Wednesday, saying
urgent measures are required to minimize the problem.
“Zanzibar is currently experiencing a shortage of fresh water due to insufficient production in many areas. The shortage is attributed to various reasons including reckless expansion of human activity and climate change,” said Sheha Mjaja, director of the Department of Environment in Zanzibar.“Residents in many villages at the coastal areas such as Nungwi, north of Zanzibar, and even Zanzibar stone town are now without fresh water due to salinity. They can no longer use water for cooking and washing,” he said.
Mjaja blamed
increasing cutting down of trees, construction of houses near water sources, and
damage of corals and rocks which could prevent sea water flooding into
residential areas.
The demand
for water in Zanzibar Municipality is 55 million liters a day while the current
production is less than 60 percent of the demand.
Increasing
demand for the utility and dilapidated water supply network is also exacerbating
the situation of water shortage in Zanzibar.
“We now have a desalinization project in Nungwi village, one of the most affected areas. The project is for purifying water so that people can use,” he said, adding that the project is quite costly.
Sea level
rise due to global warming is already affecting farms near coastal areas. Salty
water affects the growth of plants and some people have abandoned farming.
Environment officials have appealed to people in Zanzibar to plant more trees,
especially mangroves, along the seashore and stop deforestation and illegal
quarry operations.
Source: http://www.coastweek.com
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