Beyond Water, a non-governmental organisation, says it will stop operating in two traditional authorities (T/As) in Dowa District due to funding constraints, depriving about 172 000 people of clean water.
The organisation’s managing director Phillip Chidawati said this on Thursday during a district coordination team meeting, adding that professionalised repair and maintenance model launched in 2022 can no longer be sustained.
“We have recently struggled to secure funding to cover this subsidy gap and we are now unable to continue with guaranteed services to our customers,” he said.
Under the model, area mechanics provided quarterly maintenance services and repaired broken facilities within 72 hours under service agreements with water point committees, helping address low functionality of rural boreholes.
The organisation plans to exit T/As Chakhaza and Kayembe by March 31 2026 and refund all funds to customers with active contracts by April 1 to enable continued access through area mechanics.
Chidawati said all tools provided to the mechanics will be donated for ongoing maintenance while the organisation will continue light-touch support to the dstrict water development office to facilitate operations.
Dowa district water development officer Fanny Muula said the move is a setback for water, hygiene and sanitation (Wash) services.
“We already have a limited number of Wash players in the district and for the organisation to leave, it will widen the gap,” she said.
Muula said the district will continue engaging partners and the line ministry to strengthen Wash services and address emerging gaps
