LWB to start rationing water in Lilongwe: Supply would get worse unless Khato or Diamphwe projects rolls out

Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) chief executive officer Alfonso Chikuni has said they will start rationing water in Lilongwe and warned that the water supply would get progressively worse in the coming years.

Chikuni said there is low water levels in its reservoirs and that “there is high probability” for rationing of water by November.

He said the LWB needs new alternative water sources developed to complement those from its two dams on Lilongwe River

Chikuni said they expect either the Salima- Lilongwe Lake Malawi water project or the Diamphwe Dam Project to be rolled out.

Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe has meanwhile said government has signed a deal with a financier of the K400 billion Lilongwe-Salima Project, effectively putting on course the project that faced several hurdles

Gondwe said government have discussed with the financier that the contractor Khato Civils identified and have reached an agreement.

He said Khato Civils identified a financier, Trissag Espanola of South Africa, but headquartered in London, to finance the K400 billion project.

“An agreement has been entered that 35 percent of the loan will be granted without interest,” Gondwe said as quoted in the local press.

He said the loan would no longer require approval from IMF as it was not a sovereign guarantee anymore, but rather, a bank guarantee.

LWB’s initial project of the Diamphwe Multi-purpose Dam Project, which was earmarked to avert the looming water crisis, hit a snag after the World Bank withdrew its financial backing.