The Northern Region Water Board implemented the Chitipa Water Supply Project between 2015 and 2017. The project has increased the water capacity of Chitipa Water Supply System from 570 cubic metres per day to 5300 cubic metres per day.

The project has developed a new water source 40 kilometres away on Kalenge River replacing motorized boreholes at Chitipa Boma.  A water treatment plant was constructed at Kalenge and 40.9 kilometre transmission pipelines were installed to convey water from Kalenge to Chitipa Boma.

In addition, pump stations, 6 water storage tanks as well as 48.8 kilometre distribution pipelines were constructed and upgraded under the project. 3000 metres were also procured for new water connections.

The new system under the project will supply adequate potable water to 47 000 people which is the project population for Chitipa Boma for year 2030.

The project whose contractor was PLEM Construction was funded to a tune of US$13 million with US$10 million provided by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and US$3 million by the Government of Malawi.

The Board completed installation of new pressure filters at the Karonga Treatment plant. The works were carried out by SAWA Group Limited at the sum of MK500,000,000. The Board financed the project with its own resources. The new filters were commissioned in 2016 as a stop gap measure to sustain water treatment and alleviate challenges which the Board was experiencing with the Paladin donated Garnet Halliday Plant in Karonga.

In partnership with UN Habitat, the Board implemented the project to improve water supply in peri urban areas of Mzuzu City and Karonga Town. The project has increased access to water supply and improved sanitation to 51,000 community members and school children in low income areas of Mzuzu City and Karonga Town.

The EU through UN Habitat provided US$455,883 while the Board co-financed with the amount of US$617,772, the bulk which was used towards Karonga Pressure Filters Project. The Project was implemented from July 2015 to May 2017.

In partnership with Red Cross Malawi, the Board implemented another project to improve water supply in some areas in the Board’s supply areas. The Project covered WASH activities in the low income and peri urban areas of Mzuzu City and Karonga towns and the target population was 45,000.

The project was financed by EU through Netherlands and Red Cross with the sum of €239,160. The funding covered all project costs while staffing and administrative costs were contributed by NRWB. The project started in October 2014 and was completed in June 2017.

The Government of Malawi through Northern Region Water Board implemented the US$22.85 million Mzimba Integrated Urban Water and Sanitation Project to contribute to socio-economic growth of Malawi through provision of sustainable potable water supply and improved sanitation in Mzimba and surrounding areas.

The Project financed by OPEC Fund for International Development - US$14.85 million, African Development Bank - US$5 million and the Government of Malawi -  US$3 million was implemented between 2015 to 2019

The project had three components: 

• Water Infrastructure Development
• Water Resource Management
• Sanitation and Hygiene

Under the Water Infrastructure Development, NRWB engaged SAWA Group Limited to carry out water supply works. The construction works commenced in May 2017 and were completed in October 2018.

The water supply works involved;

• upgrading and expanding the treatment capacity from 1,500m3/day to 12,000m3/day,
• Upgrading of the transmission pipelines
• upgrading and expansion of the distribution pipe network
• construction of storage tanks with the total capacity of 6500m3.

Under the water resource management, the works involved the establishment and rehabilitation of river gauging stations and catchment protection. The gauging stations were established and rehabilitated for monitoring changes in water levels of Mzimba River.

Under catchment protection, the main activities included tree planting and community support with bee-hives for alternative improved community livelihoods. Over 600 000 trees have been planted

The sanitation and Hygiene component involved promotion of sanitation and hygiene within the communities. Communities within the supply areas have been triggered to adopt improved sanitation and hygiene practices.

The Project has also rehabilitated the sludge ponds near Mzimba District hospital, constructed public latrines in schools and a solid waste disposal site.

The Project further procured a solid waste disposal vehicle (skip carrier) and handed over to M’mbelwa District Council for transporting of wastes to disposal site.

The Project also constructed some auxiliary structures. These included Mzimba Scheme Office complex, some staff houses and a laboratory.