Habitat for Humanity Hands Over Groundwater Monitoring Well to National Water Resources Authority
A groundbreaking step toward sustainable water management has been achieved in Traditional Authority Masumbankhunda, Lilongwe, where Habitat for Humanity Malawi has officially handed over a groundwater monitoring well to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development.
The new facility, equipped with telemetry technology, will enable real-time monitoring of underground water — providing vital data on water levels, quality, and contamination to help safeguard Malawi’s precious groundwater resources.
Lucy Mwase, Programs Manager for Habitat for Humanity Malawi, said the project builds on lessons from earlier water and sanitation initiatives.
“In our previous projects, we faced challenges where many boreholes were drying up or producing very little water,” she said. “That made us ask — what’s really happening underground? With this technology, we can now understand groundwater behavior in real time and support the government with accurate data.”
She added that the project was developed in collaboration with the Lilongwe District Council, the National Water Resources Authority (NWRA), and the Ministry of Water, emphasizing Habitat’s role in complementing government efforts to ensure sustainability.
“This telemetry system will send live data directly to the National Water Resources Authority,” Mwase explained. “That means experts can monitor trends remotely and make informed decisions without having to rely solely on manual checks.”
During the handover ceremony, Dr. Dwight Kambuku, CEO of NWRA, hailed the initiative as a significant stride in evidence-based water management.
“This project helps us track how much groundwater we have and how our activities affect it,” he said. “If we know the state of our water resources, we can plan better — whether it’s for irrigation, community supply, or climate resilience.”
Musa Chimtsimbo, Construction Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, highlighted the impact on local accessibility:
“The last clean water point was about 70 kilometers away at Mpingu. With these new kiosks and wells, communities here will finally have safe water close to home,” he said.
For residents, the change is already life-transforming. Lonesi Nekishoni, a community member, shared her joy
“We used to drink the same water as our livestock,” she said. “Now, with the new kiosks, we have clean water — something we never imagined possible.”
The initiative is part of Habitat for Humanity’s broader Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program, which includes eight water kiosks, 200 improved pit latrines, and improved housing for vulnerable families — directly benefiting over 4,000 people in Masumbankhunda.
“Our vision is a Malawi where every family has access to safe water, decent housing, and a healthy environment — and where technology helps us protect our natural resources,” Mwase said
