Water Scarcity Worsens in Chikwawa as World Celebrates World Water Day

Malawi-As the world commemorates World Water Day on March 22, 2023, some parts of the Shire Valley district of Chikwawa in Malawi are experiencing severe water shortages, writes Comfort Bulangete.

The rapidly growing population and limited water sources have made it difficult for communities to access clean and safe drinking tap water.

Speaking with AfricaBrief, one of the business operators at Kasinthula Trading Center expressed concern about the negative impact of water scarcity on their daily operations.

"Some parts of Chikwawa including Kasinthula have gone for not less than three weeks and others for a month, depending on the gravity of their area without tap water as it is not accessible," he said.

"This scenario has made some of our friends sell water at a higher price since they are accessing it from a distance of hard-to-reach wells and boreholes, as the villages around the market like Lauji, Sumayili, and Mwita lack water."

The water scarcity problem has been exacerbated by Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which has caused some boreholes to enter flooding waters, and some restaurants to close their businesses.

Melissa Mukisa, a 48-year-old woman from Lauji Village, told AfricaBrief in an interview that the situation is worsening every day in terms of hygiene management, as people in the village lack water for cleaning utensils, bathing, and washing clothes.

"I am failing to manage this situation, where I am forced to pay K1,000 for every 20 litres without negotiations at the nearest well," she said.

"My husband died three years ago and left me with six children, and I am not working, hence failing to buy water every day."

Chikwawa Water Management Facilitator, Allan Lemula, acknowledged that the problem has brought a significant impact on businesses, including agricultural operations in the district.

"Currently, the pump that we are using is very small due to a growing population, and it is only managing to supply water around Chikwawa Boma, but we are working on fixing a big pump to fix the problem so that we supply water to the whole district," he explained.

As Malawi joins the world in commemorating World Water Day, water scarcity in Chikwawa is causing severe problems and human suffering that are likely to worsen in the future if the situation does not change.

Water is a fundamental right, and relevant departments need to take up activities to ease water scarcity problems in Chikwawa.

There has been no immediate comment from authorities.