Clean Water and Sanitation in Malawi

Prince Kathewera, General Secretary of The Environmental Justice and Sustainability Clinic at the University of Malawi, shared this video documenting their visit to the Zomba Sewage Treatment Plant as part of their participation in the environmental sustainability challenge, with a focus on SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

During their visit, they aimed to assess the impact of the sewage treatment plant on the surrounding community’s right to clean water. Unfortunately, their findings were deeply concerning.

It was observed that untreated sewage from the plant runs across several local homes and contaminates vital water sources, including boreholes and the Likangala River. This presents a serious threat to public health, as the community’s access to safe and clean water is being compromised.

In addition, they discovered that the plant's filtration systems are severely faulty, allowing waste to pass through and discharge directly into the Likangala River. This not only exacerbates water pollution but also threatens the long-term sustainability of water resources in the area.

The video they are sharing illustrates these challenges in greater detail, highlighting the urgent need for immediate intervention to address the malfunctioning systems and safeguard the right of local communities to clean water.

Thank you for taking the time to watch this, and hope it will help spark meaningful discussions and actions to improve water quality and sanitation in the region.