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From Town Tools. For the current version, visit https://www.towntools.org/mzuzu-mzimba-mw/is-the-water-out
Mzuzu's piped water comes from the Northern Region Water Board (NRWB), fed by Lunyangwa Dam. The city now uses far more than the system can treat — roughly 10 million litres a day short of demand — so supply is intermittent and runs on no published timetable, and the higher and outer areas lose their taps first.
This board is neighbours telling neighbours. If your tap is dry, tap your area to say so. When several people in one area report within a few hours, it's likely the whole area and not just your tank. Reports clear on their own after a few hours, so the board shows what's happening now — not last week.
These reports come from neighbours, not the water utility. Anyone can read the board; reporting no water takes a free account, which keeps it honest. A report clears itself after about 8 hours, so the board stays current on its own. When several people report the same sector, it’s likely the whole sector is dry — not just one tank.
The water utility — Northern Region Water Board (NRWB)
Toll-free 374 reaches NRWB from a TNM line. From an Airtel line, call the Mzuzu office on 01 310 254 or 01 310 255.
When the taps are dry, people fall back on boreholes, shallow wells and streams. That water is not treated — boil it for a minute or treat it before drinking, especially in the rains, when cholera circulates in the region.