The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development has intensified measures to cushion Malawi against the anticipated impacts of the 2026/27 El Niño weather phenomenon, which is expected to disrupt rainfall patterns and heighten water scarcity across the country.
Principal Secretary for Irrigation and Water Development Faides Mwale said preparations include the rehabilitation of 200 non‑functional boreholes and the construction of 100 climate‑resilient boreholes nationwide.
She warned that without urgent interventions, declining groundwater levels and broken supply systems could leave millions of Malawians without safe water.
“As groundwater levels fall, many shallow wells and low‑yielding boreholes may dry up, forcing communities to travel further and increasing reliance on unsafe sources. This raises the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea.
“Declining water levels in rivers, dams and boreholes can also concentrate pollutants and push communities towards unsafe sources, raising the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea. Since a majority of Malawians depend on groundwater for domestic use, the department warns that without mitigation, millions could face inadequate access to safe water,” Mwale said.
Additional government plans include upgrading high‑yielding hand‑pump boreholes, drilling emergency boreholes in drought‑prone districts, and strengthening rural water supply operations to minimise breakdowns.
Mwale also highlighted measures to regulate releases at Liwonde Barrage, conserve water upstream in the Shire River and Lake Malawi, and rehabilitate 10 hydrological monitoring stations.
Other interventions involve constructing three solar‑powered water supply systems, reticulating boreholes to solar power, rehabilitating seven water schemes, monitoring water quality at 1 200 sites, distributing treatment chemicals to 200 000 households, and providing emergency water through bowsers to 300 000 people.
Water Aid Malawi has since proposed that part of preparedness should further include stronger monitoring of groundwater levels, river flows, and reservoir storage and water quality.
The El Nino weather phenomenon is linked to a delayed start of rainfall, below-normal precipitation and dry spells, and experts have, on multiple times, warned that it could affect Malawi’s economic recovery.
Water Aid Malawi country manager Peter Phiri in an interview last week said reliable and regular updated information would also be integral, saying it would enable authorities to take corrective action before water supply systems reach crisis levels.
He said: “As an immediate priority, the government should assess the resilience of existing water supply systems, including the reliability of water sources, the physical condition of infrastructure and the capacity of institutions responsible for water service delivery.
“These assessments should identify water sources that are most likely to remain reliable during prolonged dry periods. The findings should guide both emergency measures and long-term investments in the development, protection and management of climate resilient water sources.”
Phiri said particular attention should also be given to communities that rely on seasonal and highly vulnerable sources, including shallow wells, streams and small reservoirs.
Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development data shows that water availability has been dwindling consistently in the preceding three years.
The data shows that the availability dropped from 1 044.6 cubic metres per capita per year in 2023/24 to 1 018 cubic metres in 2024/25, before falling further to 991 cubic metres in 2025/26.
The data means Malawi is below the internationally recognised threshold of 1 000 cubic metres per capita per year, the benchmark commonly used to define water scarcity based on annual renewable water resources.
A recent study by Water Aid Malawi also stated that the country risks missing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals targets for universal access to safe water unless the government invests $218 million (about K416 billion) annually to accelerate progress.
