ASSESSING THE CURRENT CAPACITY OF WATER INSTITUTIONS IN RURAL RUMPHI TO DEAL WITH FLOODS AND DROUGHT

Abstract

Understanding resilience of water infrastructure and adaptive capacity of water institutions is central to ensuring sustained access to potable water in the context of increased frequency of floods and droughts. Rumphi District in northern Malawi is vulnerable to multiple climate related and non-climatic stressors. People in this area live in risk-filled environment prone to perennial hazards such as floods. This study was conducted to assess the current capacity of water institutions in rural areas of Rumphi District to deal with floods and droughts using Nkhamanga gravity water scheme in rural Rumphi as a case study. The study specifically examined effects of current trends of floods and droughts on local water institutions, especially water supply and the resilience of water infrastructure, and the adaptive capacity of water institutions. Key informant interviews and semi structured interviews were used to investigate water institution officers’ knowledge and perceptions of climate change and variability; how the officers perceived drought/floods; the impact of drought/floods on the water institutions and operation of water supply infrastructure; and how the water institutions were coping with these impacts. Interviews also helped find out how the water institutions prepared, responded and adapted to floods and droughts and the resilience of water supply infrastructure including challenges encountered in dealing with floods and droughts. The study found that although the establishment of the Nkhamanga Water Users Association, especially the new Local Utility Operator, greatly improved operations and water supply services of the scheme; the capacity of water officers to anticipate and accommodate climate risks was still low. There was need for infrastructure rehabilitation and expansion to facilitate availability and supply of potable water in uncovered areas, and to ensure resilience of water infrastructure to floods and drought.