Study exposes funding challenges in water sector

Malawi risks missing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target for universal access to safe water unless the government invests $218 million (about K416 billion) yearly to accelerate initiatives towards the UN goals. Currently, the Malawi Government spends about half of the required investment on initiatives to increase access to clean water, according to WaterAid Malawi. To date, Malawi Government and development partners have invested about K433.1 billion to increase access to clean water in regional projects running up to 2030.

However, given the required investment and the situation on the ground, stakeholders have cast doubt on whether the country can attain the UN SDG Six to increase access to safe water by 2030. WaterAid Malawi, quoting United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) data and the World Bank, said Malawi needs an annual capital injection of $238 million up to 2030 if the targets are to be attained. “Currently, less than $100 million [about K173.4 billion] is available annually,” said the organisation which is involved in building and repairing boreholes and piped water systems, among others.

In a 2025 study titled ‘Political economy analysis on Wash financing for public health and cholera control and prevention’, WaterAid Malawi established that significant political challenges also hinder progress. The study showed that inadequate financial and human resources, political influence in allocation of Wash facilities presented severe implications to Malawi’s efforts of achieving SDG 6. On the other hand, World Health Organisation and Unicef Joint Monitoring Programme data released in August 2025 put Malawi’s national coverage for safely managed drinking water at approximately 18 percent, the benchmark used to measure progress under SDG 6.

[paywall]

The data further show that between six and seven million people still lack even basic drinking water services. Commenting on the developments, Water Services Association of Malawi executive director Vitumbiko Mkandawire yesterday said that while Malawi is yet to achieve universal access, the urban water utilities have made gradual progress in water quality, universal metering and improved revenue collection in some boards. He said: “But major challenges remain, especially high non-revenue water, slow expansion of coverage, financial constraints in some boards, and rapid urbanisation. At the current pace, Malawi will need accelerated investment and efficiency improvements to meet SDG 6, “The boards have implemented major projects [treatment plants, network upgrades] but the full benefits are held back by high non-revenue water, aging networks, stalled projects due to financing delays, and rising demand.” Over the past decade, the country’s five water boards have been unveiling expansion plans.

[/paywall]