Lunyangwa Dam drying up
Mzuzu City residents should brace for more hard times as water levels at its sole water source, Lunyangwa Dam, have been reduced by half.
During a tour of the dam on Tuesday, it was learnt that water in the dam will serve the city up to mid-February 2016.
“If the rains do not come by that time, then we are in for a disaster,” said Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) acting chief executive officer Mwiza Mtawali during a news conference after the tour.
The news comes at a time when some areas in Mzuzu, including Mchengautuba, Area 1B, Nkhorongo, Hilltop, SOS and Masasa, are experiencing water shortages.
He said the board has entered into a partnership with Plan International Malawi for a $2.6 million (about K1.5 billion ) water demand management project to mitigate water shortages.
Plan project manager Yankho Mataya said the project has already reduced non-revenue water from 43 percent to 32 percent, with the hope of further reducing the rate to 20 percent.
NRWB plans to construct a $100 million (about K59 billion) Lambilambi Dam in Chikangawa Forest. n
