Power outages hit NRWB hard
Lengthy power blackouts in the country have worsened Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) struggles to keep Mzuzu supplied all day.
Most townships have been hit hard by water problems—with residents waking up to dry taps daily despite assurances from NRWB that Lunyangwa Dam has enough water to serve the city until the next rainy season.
NRWB spokesperson Edward Nyirenda attributed the setback to prolonged power outages which have lowered its pumping capacity.
“We indeed noted that for the past few days, some areas in Mzuzu, especially those supplied by Lusangazi tank, have been experiencing water supply challenges. These include Katoto Area 2, Area 4, Mchengautuba, Hilltop and Masasa,” he said.
According to Nyirenda, the parastatal will draw a programme to ensure that water is shared equitably until power supply improves
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) spokesperson Kitty Chingota counter-accused NRWB of snubbing expert advice to pump water at night.
She also wondered if the water board has enough storage tanks to supply the city.
“NRWB should be complaining of limited water storage, not electricity. People will only take advantage of the situation. There is always power at night. We encouraged them to pump at night,” she said. n
