Dowa Council urges partners to shift from boreholes to piped water systems

Dowa District Council has called on partners implementing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects in the district to move away from relying on boreholes and invest in reticulated water systems.

Director of Planning and Development Phillimon Maseko said boreholes are expensive to maintain because they require frequent rehabilitation, while piped water systems offer a quicker and more sustainable way of improving people’s living standards.

Speaking during a District WASH Coordinating Team (DCT) meeting held at Dowa Boma, Maseko said access to clean and safe water should remain a priority for all stakeholders.

He stressed that water is life and called for greater collaboration between the council and development partners to improve water supply and management across the district.

Maseko noted that Dzaleka has grown beyond being merely a refugee camp and requires coordinated efforts to address WASH challenges both inside the settlement and in surrounding host communities.

He said, besides the ongoing water crisis in Dzaleka, reports indicate that many households lack toilets, increasing the risk of outbreaks of water-borne diseases that could also affect neighbouring communities.

The Director urged partners to broaden their interventions beyond Dzaleka and ensure WASH-related challenges are addressed with urgency.

Maseko commended one of the partners operating in Dzaleka, Welthungerhilfe (WHH), for introducing innovative waste disposal and management initiatives at the camp’s dumping site, saying the council welcomes the development and is encouraging other stakeholders in the water sector to support it.

He said proper waste management could also contribute to energy production, with organic waste being converted into biogas for electricity and cooking, thereby reducing pressure on the district’s environment.

Maseko further emphasized the need for enhanced reforestation efforts to replace trees that have been cut down in and around Dzaleka.

On the K5 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF), Maseko said a significant portion of the resources has been allocated to the water sector. He said the council will work with partners, particularly in providing technical expertise and training water point committees to ensure effective management of water facilities across the district.