Mwanza Border Town Water Supply and Sanitation

Overview
The Mwanza Border Town Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) project will provide climate resilient water supply and sanitation to over 44,000 residents of Mwanza and up to 270,000 cross-border travellers per year. It will improve health and hygiene, reduce waterborne diseases, provide economic opportunities and build resilience to climate change.
Investment request
£4 million of grant funding to rehabilitate and expand the water supply and sanitation system.
Project summary
Mwanza Town is strategically located linking the North– South Transport Corridor with the Nacala Transport Corridor, connecting South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe to Malawi and Mozambique. The corridor development is prioritised in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Master Plan (2012–2027) and is critical to enhancing regional and international trade competitiveness, particularly for landlocked countries such as Malawi. SADC has identified the Mwanza–Zobue border for the development of a onestop border post (OSBP); both the town and trade flows are therefore expected to grow.
The Mwanza Water Supply and Sanitation Project and the parallel project in Zobue aim to promote transboundary cooperation between Mozambique and Malawi and increased resilience for the Mwanza population. It aligns to the Government of Malawi’s Vision 2027 water sector targets and will deliver significant social and health impacts. The project is economically viable with a positive economic benefit–cost ratio. If a grant is provided for capital expenditure, sufficient revenue will be generated to support operating expenditure.
The project is part of a wider CRIDF initiative to support climate resilient water supply and sanitation (WSS) infrastructure at the SADC strategic border posts.
Main sponsor(s)
Southern Region Water Board (SRWB)