By The Forum

The National Water Resources Authority (NWRA) has warned the public and property developers against constructing structures along Lake Malawi and riverbanks as water levels continue to rise.

Acting Chief Executive Officer Lyson Mseu issued the warning during a budget consultation meeting with the Parliamentary Cluster Committee on Agriculture and Food Security and Natural Resources, Energy and Climate Change.

According to Mseu, the lake level stood at 475.82 metres above sea level as of March 4, compared to 475.51 metres recorded during the same period in 2025, an increase of 0.31 metres.

“The rise in the lake level is due to increased rainfall in the central and northern parts of Malawi, as well as catchments in Tanzania on the western side of the lake,” he said.

NWRA operates the Kamuzu Barrage in Machinga District, which regulates water flow into the Shire River to balance the needs of upstream and downstream users.

To manage the rising lake levels, the authority has increased water discharge at the barrage to 950 cubic metres per second, with plans to raise it to 1,000 cubic metres per second if the lake continues to rise.

Mseu reminded the public that it is illegal to carry out activities such as construction or cultivation below the 477-metre contour line along Lake Malawi, as well as within river channels and the 100-year floodplain.

“NWRA would like to remind the public that these restrictions are meant to protect lives, property and ecosystems,” he said.

The authority is currently conducting sensitisation meetings with stakeholders on the rising lake levels and operations at the Kamuzu Barrage. Mseu also urged Members of Parliament to support awareness campaigns and compliance efforts.

He said NWRA has formed a task force with district councils in lakeshore districts to enforce compliance and is working with the Ministry of Lands to scrutinise development applications along lakeshores and riverbanks.

Mseu said NWRA has been allocated MWK550 million in the 2026/27 financial year, representing a 10 percent increase from the previous MWK500 million allocation.

From this funding, the authority is expected to contribute MWK800 million to government revenue.

However, Mseu appealed for additional funding of MWK143 million, citing rising operational costs including fuel price adjustments and the increasing cost of living.

“Without this additional support, NWRA risks undermining its ability to retain skilled personnel and sustain essential regulatory oversight,” he warned.

For the upcoming financial year, the authority projects MWK1.5 billion in revenue from fees and charges and MWK150 million from rentals.

Among its priorities, NWRA plans to:

• Review the Water Resources Act

• Assess 1,000 new water use applications

• Conduct 350 licence inspections

• Introduce electronic licensing systems to improve transparency

• Implement a Water Resources Management Information System

• Continue water quality testing on Lake Malawi

• Increase compliance with effluent standards to 95 percent

The authority also plans to strengthen catchment management committees and continue monitoring river flows and operations at the Kamuzu Barrage.

Mseu said NWRA may fail to meet its MWK1.5 billion revenue target in the current financial year due to outdated fee structures that no longer reflect the cost of services.

However, the authority is reviewing its fees and exploring new revenue streams, including payment for ecosystem services and possible levies on water use.

Co-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Cluster Committee, Tiaone Hendry, Member of Parliament for Phalombe South, said NWRA has the potential to generate more revenue.

“As it stands, you are still using fees based on the 2013 Act, which no longer reflects current economic realities,” she said.

Hendry recommended that the authority revise its fee structure and increase revenue projections, noting that NWRA could potentially operate more sustainably with stronger internal revenue generation.

NWRA was established under the Water Resources Act of 2013 to regulate, conserve and manage Malawi’s water resources, including the allocation and sustainable use of water across the country.

—

Also Read: Regulator suspends Presscane permit over vinasse spills in Chikwawa

Related: Floods didn’t fail Malawi. Leadership did.

Related: ‘Do the right thing’: Govt demands Presscane compensate Chikwawa communities