CATCHMENT COMMITEES

About Catchment Committees

Catchment Committee is the committee established under section 29 of the WRM Act No. 11 of 2009 and its amendment No.8 of 20222 for the purpose of managing a particular watershed area termed as a catchment. A catchment is the surface area and underground stratum of land that collects water to supply a water source within a designated hydrological boundary. According to the Water Resources Management Act, the Catchment Committee is composed of not less than three and not more than five representatives, where a Chairman of the committee is appointed by the Basin Water Board, one representative from the private sector (e.g mining, industries, agriculture, power producers), up to 2 members from the Water Users Association and one representative from LGAs; in this composition, there should be at least one-third women representation.

Catchment Committees in Pangani Basin

Pangani Basin is divided into administrative catchments of Kikuletwa-Ruvu, Mkomazi, Umba-Zigi, Pangani Main, Luengera, Mkomazi, Msangazi and Mkulumuzi. To date, the Pangani Basin Water Board has managed to establish two Catchment Committees of Kikuletwa-Ruvu and Umba-Zigi, where its members are due to be re- elected.

Kikuletwa Ruvu

Chairman of the Kikuletwa Ruvu catchment comes from Uroki Boman’gombe Water Supply Trust, the Secretary comes from the Kikuletwa Catchment Water Office, while Water Users Associations are represented by Kware and Weruweru Water Users Association and the Local Government Authority is represented by Meru District.

Umba Zigi

Chairman of the Umba Zigi catchment comes from the Umba-Zigi Catchment Water Office, while Water Users Associations are represented by Upper Zigi and Lower Zigi Water Users Association and the Local Government Authority is represented by a Muheza District Council representative.

Significance of Catchment Committees

• To enhance stakeholders’ participation through dialogue, collaboration and consensus.
• Raise awareness of WRM challenges and environmental, economic and social implications for water flows & allocation.
• Integrate community-level, district and regional concerns into basin-level planning.
• Strengthen national support and inform other communities in the basin.
• Co-ordinate and harmonise catchment IWRM plans, such as harmonisation of water-use-related conflicts in the catchment.
• Strengthen the capacity of Managers in the Pangani Basin to manage and allocate water resources.