Paying more for less

Malawians are paying up to 69.99 percent more for piped water, but for many households, the higher tariffs have brought neither reliable supplies nor relief from the daily struggle to access safe water, official documents and consumer interviews show.

In Area 50, Lilongwe, Agnes Layoni, a mother of two, now pays K80 for a 20-litre pail at her local water kiosk, up from K55. Yet the kiosk has been dry for two days, forcing residents to consider cheaper but potentially unsafe alternatives.

“The wells are cheaper, but the water is not safe. We have no choice when there is no water at the kiosk,” she said.

Her experience raises a fundamental question about the tariff increases approved for the country’s five water boards in August 2026: why should consumers pay more when reliable access to water remains uncertain?

The increases came with commitments to improve service delivery, guarantee safe water and reduce non-revenue water (NRW)—treated water lost through leakages, illegal connections and faulty meters before reaching paying customers.

Yet residents in Chilinde, Kawale and Areas 22, 23, 24 and 25 in Lilongwe continue to exper ience intermittent supplies. Similar complaints have emerged in Blantyre, Chikwawa, Mzuzu and Rumphi, where some

households have resorted to shallow wells, rivers and irrigation canals.

Supply falls short as losses mount

Lilongwe Water Board’s figures illustrate the scale of the challenge.

In a customer notice issued on September 29, 2026, the board said it was producing 125 million litres daily against demand of 157 million litres, leaving a deficit of 32 million litres.

A water board employee takes meter

readings. | Nation

However, supply constraints do not explain why substantial volumes of treated water continue to disappear through distribution inefficiencies.

According to the Malawi Gov e rnment A n nu a l Economic Report for 2025, the five water boards lost between K66 billion and K70 billion in potential revenue through non-revenue water, which averaged 35.3 percent in 2024.

Blantyre Water Board (BWB) recorded the highest losses at 50 percent, followed by Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) at 35.8 percent, Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) at 33 percent, Southern Region Water Board at 30.9 percent and Central Region Water Board at 27 percent.

Meanwhile, annual water availability declined from 1,044.6 cubic metres per capita in 2023/24 to 991 cubic metres in 2025/26, falling below the international water-scarcity threshold of 1,000 cubic metres.

LWB promises improvements

LWB spokes person Chisomo Chibwana said the tariff adjustment was intended to improve operational efficiency and financial sustainability.

She said the board had committed to reducing non-revenue water from 32 percent to 28 percent by 2030, providing an average of 22 hours of water daily and improving revenue collection efficiency to above 90 percent.

However, she said the revised tariffs only took effect at the end of September, making it too early to assess performance against the targets.

“Construction of Treatment Works III was 82 percent complete and would add 50 million litres daily to production capacity..

“The board is also undertaking leakage control, network maintenance and measures to curb illegal connections, while deploying water bowsers to affected areas,” she said.

Chibwana said additional

revenue from the September billing cycle amounted to K1.8 billion, which would support operations, asset renewal and debt servicing.

Blantyre’s recurring supply failures

In Blantyre, unreliable supplies have forced some Ndi rande residents to depend on Nasolo River for laundry, bathing and other household chores, while bottled water has become a principal source of drinking and cooking water.

A July 2026 joint monitoring report found that the expansion of water kiosks had not guaranteed reliable access. Water availability in schools declined from 90 percent to 74 percent.

In late September, suspected vandals damaged four valves on the main supply line from Walkers Ferry to Chileka, disrupting supplies to parts of Blantyre for three days. BWB said replacing the valves would cost K2.8 billion.

The disruption came amid operational and financial difficulties. In March 2026, the board cancelled procurement for 20 contracts, including those for pipeline fittings, hydrants and electrical equipment, citing budget constraints.

The consequences extend to critical public services. On October 24, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital ran dry, leaving guardians scrambling for water.

Although BWB’s net losses declined from K37.8 billion in 2024 to K10.2 billion in 2025, the board remains financially strained.

Mzuzu struggles to meet demand

In Mzuzu, residents of Area 4 Kaziwale are among those affected by intermittent supplies, with some households relying on shallow wells.

NRWB previously attributed the problem to limitations in the distribution system, particularly pumps and pipelines serving Mzuzu North.

In a WhatsApp response, board

public relations officer Sellina Kawinga said NRWB was upgrading pipelines in critically affected areas using internal resources.

She said the European Investment Bank-supported Water Supply Improvement Project would commence before the end of the year.

In Mzuzu, the project will raise Lunyangwa Dam by 1.5 metres and increase the treatment plant’s capacity from 21.2 million to 30.1 million litres daily. It will also introduce solar power across the region’s water systems and provide meters and pipes to reduce non-revenue water.

In Rumphi, work on an African Development Bank and government-funded water and sanitation improvement project is underway, with the main contractor already on site.

NRWB is also implementing the Jenda Water Supply Project while seeking funding to upgrade Chilumba, Songwe and other water systems.

Consumers question value for money

Consumers Association of Malawi executive director John Kapito said tariff increases had not been matched by satisfactory service delivery, particularly at LWB and BWB.

He said some communities endured interruptions lasting up to a week, while concerns had also emerged about water quality.

“Most water boards do not consider the delivery of quality services. The only thing they think of is the collection of high revenue,” he said.

Water Services Association of Malawi executive director Vitumbiko Mkandawire, however, said preliminary indications suggested the boards were gradually stabilising their operations following the tariff adjustments.

He said Was was consolidating data from all five boards to assess compliance with conditions attached to the increases.

Mkandawire attributed persistent shortages to vandalism, high production costs, declining raw-water availability, catchment encroachment, rising electricity tariffs and water theft.

He recommended investment in smart metering, stronger revenue collection and an autonomous water regulator.

While these challenges are real, they do not absolve water boards of their obligation to demonstrate measurable improvements and account for the additional revenue they collect.

The outstanding question is whether higher tariffs will translate into better services across the country or simply ease the boards’ financial pressures.

For Layoni and other households in Area 50, the test is straightforward: water must be available when they turn on a tap or visit a kiosk.

“I just want water at the kiosk every day. We are paying more, but we are still struggling,” she said

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