Khato Civils, the contractor for the Salima–Lilongwe Water Supply Project, has announced that construction is now 35% complete, keeping the flagship initiative on track to meet its June 2027 deadline.

The project is designed to end persistent water shortages in Lilongwe, Salima, and Dowa by conveying 100 million litres of water daily from Lake Malawi.

Project Manager Tinofirei Mawanza provided the update during a site visit by engineering students from the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR). He confirmed that work is advancing at key locations -Lifuwu, Katengeza, Mvera, and Chezi.

"We are pleased to report that the project is progressing without hitches at the moment," Mawanza stated. "Specifically at all sites, the works are advancing well. Furthermore, we have a stable financial footing with no significant challenges at this stage, which allows us to maintain this positive momentum."

He reiterated the project's timeline, adding, "The aim is to have the beneficiaries start getting water as early as 2026, but the project remains on track to meet its scheduled completion date in June 2027."

Significant installations are underway at the Lifuwu site, which will host the water abstraction point, treatment plant, pump station, and three reservoirs.

For the visiting students, the tour was a vital bridge between academic theory and real-world application. Cuthbert Khunga, an environmental engineering student, expressed that the experience offered unique insights.

"Seeing the practical solutions for optimizing water treatment and pipeline efficiency has given me a level of understanding that is difficult to grasp from a textbook alone," Khunga said. "This is the kind of applicable guidance I had been missing in the classroom."

The $351 million project is being executed by Khato Civils in collaboration with Zambezi Engineering, financed through a partnership between the Malawi Government (30%) and commercial partners led by NBS Bank plc (70%). To date, Khato Civils has invested over $81 million into the project, demonstrating a strong commitment to its success.

Once operational, the 120-kilometer pipeline will provide a long-term solution to water scarcity and has already created hundreds of local jobs during the construction phase, marking it as a central pillar in the government's agenda to improve essential services.