MHEN raises alarm over leaking sewer pipe discharging into Lilongwe River

The Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) has raised a red flag over what it describes as a serious public health threat after a leaking sewer pipe was discovered discharging untreated waste into the Lilongwe River.

In a hard-hitting statement issued on Tuesday, MHEN warned that the apparent flow of raw sewage into the river is exposing thousands of people downstream to deadly water-borne diseases and reflects a dangerous failure in urban sanitation management.

MHEN Executive Director, George Jobe, said the situation is not only unacceptable but also reckless, as the river is widely used for domestic purposes, irrigation, urban agriculture, and even informal washing and bathing.

“The continued leakage presents a significant risk of cholera outbreaks, undermining current prevention and response efforts. Sewage contamination dramatically increases the risk of cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid and other water-borne diseases,” said Jobe.

He accused authorities, particularly Lilongwe City Council, of allowing a ticking public health time bomb to persist, and called for immediate repairs to the damaged sewer infrastructure.

MHEN is also demanding tougher accountability, urging authorities to strengthen routine inspection and maintenance of sewer systems, enforce sanctions where negligence or delayed action is identified, and create effective mechanisms for the public to report sewer leakages and spillages.

“Safe sanitation is a core public health obligation. Preventing sewage from entering rivers and public spaces is one of the most cost-effective and sustainable ways to prevent disease outbreaks and protect communities,” Jobe stressed.

The organisation warned that failure to act swiftly could reverse gains made in cholera prevention and place an already strained health system under further pressure.

By press time, Lilongwe City Council had not issued any official response.

MHEN is a coalition of over 100 civil society organisations working in the health sector, committed to promoting equitable access to quality, affordable and responsive healthcare services in Malawi.