These students are full of ambition, hoping that their technical skills will pave the way for a brighter future. But behind the progress lies a daily challenge that affects everyone on campus: the lack of safe and reliable water.

 

“Sometimes, we’re left with no choice but to send students to fetch water from unprotected sources including a salty borehole left by the contractor,” the college’s principal Akuzike  Nkhoma explained, a concerned expression crossing his face. “It’s neither safe nor sustainable.”

 

Students share similar worries. They speak of long walks in the early morning to distant water points—time that could be spent in class. Just a few months ago, 100 students were taken to Rumphi District Hospital after a cholera scare on campus. The taps had run dry, and students had turned to unprotected sources, putting their health at serious risk.

 

The water challenge at the college reflects a broader issue impacting the entire Rumphi community as revealed by a series of community engagements the Board has been conducting to prepare people for the upcoming project implementation. For many households, especially those in higher-altitude areas, access to water is unreliable, limited by the capacity of a small 200,000-liter tank that has long outgrown its ability to serve the town’s needs. 

 

Francis Munthali, Chief Executive Officer for Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) acknowledges the strain Rumphi’s growth has placed on the aging water system, “Back then, this tank was enough because there weren’t as many people as possible. But now, with more households, schools, and the town expanding, it simply can’t meet the demand.”

 

“For example, if we are to sustain supply to the college, it means we have to ration in town where there is the main hospital and several facilities needing water. It’s becoming clear that we’re facing a real crisis,” highlights Munthali.

 

The water supply infrastructure, managed by the NRWB, has reached its limits. The Rumphi Water Supply Scheme was last upgraded in 2003, designed to meet the demands of 2010, estimated at 1.5 million litres per day. Today, however, demand has surged to over 10 million litres per day,  a more than tenfold increase. Despite this, no major rehabilitation work has been done since 2004, and the aging system can only serve 23% of the town’s population. Water is available to residents for just a few hours.

Not surprisingly, frustration echoes across Rumphi customer forums. One resident Dora Mkandawire highlights the toll persistent water challenges are exerting on women.

 

“We are the most heavily impacted because our society is programmed that it is us women who go to fetch water. These persistent interruptions are stealing our valuable time and affecting our productivity,” laments Mkandawire

 

The water system is also concentrated in the town, leaving major trading centers reliant on unprotected traditional water sources, such as wells. Additionally, the district lacks a functioning sewer system.

 

This limited access hampers not only households but also the broader economic potential of the area. In key trading centers along the national M1 road, such as Phwezi, Bwengu, and Enukweni, the situation is even bleaker. These communities rely on unprotected sources, whereas Bolero, home to Senior Chief Chikulamayembe, has a basic community-led gravity-fed water system that struggles to keep pace with local demand. 

 

Chief Chikulamayembe notes: “Our people need more. Growth centres like ours should have reliable water sources to foster prosperity and health.”

 

 

To address these challenges and pave the way for sustainable development, the Northern Region Water Board with financing from the African Development Bank and Malawi Government is implementing the Rumphi Water and Sanitation Services Project. The goal? To turn frustration into relief and ensure no community is left thirsty. 

 

The project which is expected to increase access to sustainable and climate resilient potable water supply and safely managed sanitation services at Rumphi Town and surrounding areas will benefit over 158 000 people of which 51 percent are expected to be female.

 

The project will span almost the width and breadth of Rumphi - extending to some parts of Northern Mzimba.

 

The project is also leaving no stone unturned and no-one behind as it prioritizes all key components including restoration of forest landscapes and ecosystem-based adaptation initiatives for sustainable water supply.

“Under this project, we are upgrading both water and sanitation facilities including planting and nurturing 700 000 trees as part of catchment management. For the first time, Rumphi town will have a proper sewer system to cater for residents apart from improved supply,” explained Catherine Mwafulirwa, Director of Infrastructure Development at Northern Region Water Board. “We are also extending the water supply from the town to new areas such as Bolero, Phwezi, Bwengu and Enukweni. Presently, consultants are on the ground to prepare detailed designs and tendering assistance for both water supply and sanitation works. We expect to recruit contractor for the works before year end.”

 

In this planting season, the NRWB has planted 264 000 trees according to Mwafulirwa which among other things led to the creation of hundreds of short-term jobs for the local communities in the raising of the nurseries for the tree seedlings as well as the planting exercise.

 

“Rumphi is growing, but without water and improved sanitation, development stalls," District Commissioner for Rumphi Emmanuel  Bulukutu laments.  

 

“This project is critical as it will not only support the thriving Technical College but also improve the quality of life for all residents, fostering a healthier, more prosperous community.

 

“We will therefore diligently work with the NRWB and all stakeholders to ensure that this project is successfully implemented within the stated period,” adds Bulukutu.

Once completed, the project will complete the water supply puzzle of the M1 road stretch between Mzuzu and Rumphi. It means all people lying along the 83 kilometre Mzuzu-Ekwendeni-Enukweni-Bwengu-Phwezi stretch will have access to safely managed drinking water.

 

“With reliable water infrastructure and sanitation improvements, Rumphi would be poised to unlock its potential as a vibrant hub of human capital and economic activity in northern Malawi. This change would give students the chance to focus solely on their studies, ensure that households no longer struggle for basic resources, and create an environment where both people and businesses can thrive. For the people of Rumphi, this project isn’t merely about water; it’s about hope, dignity, and a future they can depend on,” emphasized the District Commissioner 

 

The African Development Bank Group is providing a $32.2 million grant with the Malawi Government contributing $3.67 million for the project to be implemented over a period of 4 years from December 2023 to December 2027.