Conservation

by Lorie Burnett, Korogwe, Tanga Region, Tanzania

Although there is mandatory rationing by the water department, people seem to be wasteful of water, which is surprising since it is so hard to come by. For example, it is a custom to mop the floor every day. This seems unnecessary, especially if water is scarce. But it's what people do. When I lived with a Tanzanian woman for two months, she seemed to use a lot of water and made no effort to re-use it. This might be because it was coming from a tap. Perhaps in other circumstances she would have been more careful (that is, if she had to fetch water from a river herself).

by Gary Port, Morogoro (Mzumbe), Tanzania

Luckily, there haven't been any shortages in my town, but during the dry season, water pressure is lower and is turned off periodically. The community is usually told where they can find water for personal use and for farming. There is no recycling.