Development of a Tool for Measuring Resilience of Water Supply Systems in Tanzania: Technical Dimension

Abstract

Tanzania water supply systems (WSSs) are facing resilience problems, compromising the quality and coverage of water supply services during floods. The expected rise in flood frequency and magnitude due to climate change and rapid urbanization will result in more frequent and severe impacts to the systems, prompting the need to strengthen resilience to potential impacts and minimize recovery times. This study adopted a five-stage process—literature review, preassessment, pretesting, a three-round Delphi survey, and tool evaluation—to develop a qualitative technical resilience assessment tool (QTRAT). Thematic analysis and standard descriptive statistical analysis were applied during the study. A qualitative tool with 4 principles and 10 indicators is proposed with a final semiquantitative technical index (FSTRI), where system maintenance, future expansion capability, renewal plans, and spare parts and equipment availability are the leading indicators. Evaluation results suggest that Tanzania urban WSSs have moderate resilience and are in particular need of improved design guidelines encompassing resilience aspects. The tool developed in this study contributes to informed decision-making about priority planning and budgeting of water organizations to improve the urban WSSs’ technical resilience.