By Prisca Promise Mashushu
Government says it is committed to addressing the persistent challenge of non-revenue water in the country as part of efforts to improve efficiency and sustainability in water supply systems.
Principal Secretary in the Department of Water Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Dr Henry Njoloma, made the remarks on Thursday during a Lilongwe Water Board workshop held at Lifestyle Boutique Hotel in Lilongwe.
Njoloma said the government recognises the need to strengthen water management systems in order to reduce losses that occur before water reaches consumers.
He said non-revenue water remains one of the major challenges affecting the performance of water utilities across the country.
“The main challenge is the failure of meters to record readings, pipeline system network breaks and other issues, which has resulted in an increase up to about 46 per cent among water utilities in the country,” said Njoloma.He added that the government is implementing various measures aimed at reducing the losses in water utilities.
“Therefore, as a government, we are committed to addressing these challenges by increasing investments, staff motivation, and strong collaboration with development partners so that we can reduce the challenges below the average range of 25 percent globally,” he explained.
Executive Director for Water Services Association of Malawi (WASAMA), Vitumbiko Mkandawire, said non-revenue water continues to significantly affect the operations of water boards in the country.
Mkandawire said losses currently range between 26 and 46 percent among the country’s water boards, a situation that affects both water availability and revenue collection.
He said the workshop provides a platform for stakeholders to share experiences and develop practical solutions to address the problem.
“So far, we are providing a platform to discuss and find tangible ways of mitigating the available challenges,” he added.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative, Tanaka Yukinari, said Japan remains committed to supporting Malawi in tackling non-revenue water challenges.
Yukinari said JICA will continue providing capacity building support to water utility staff to strengthen their technical skills in managing water systems efficiently.
The workshop brought together stakeholders in the water sector to discuss strategies for reducing water losses and improving service delivery among water utilities in the country.
