The raised and rehabilitated Kamuzu Dam 1 has officially been launched today by the Malawi President, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera in Malingunde. The 27 million euro project has enhanced water resource security for Lilongwe City and surrounding areas.

Speaking during the commissioning, Chakwera expressed delight at the completion of the project, as it will ensure people in the city do not scramble for potable water in the city. He also commended LWB on the project and committed to ensuring that the people of the city have enough access to potable water and safe sanitation services. The President further said his government is implementing similar projects in other Boards across the country.

The Dam has been raised by 7 meters, consisting of 5 meters of concrete and 2 meters of rubber, a feature that is the first of its kind in Malawi. The rubber dam will enable the Board to control the flow of water from Kamuzu Dam 1 to Kamuzu Dam 2.

The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Honourable Abida Sidik Mia MP, appreciated LWB for continuously ensuring it serves people in all areas. She singled out the World Bank-funded Lilongwe Water and Sanitation Project, which will also partly ensure that the people of Malingunde get access to potable water soon.

With the raising and rehabilitation, Kamuzu Dam’s water security has now moved from 4 months to 12 months. Kamuzu Dam 1 was originally constructed between 1963 and 1966 with a storage capacity of 3.5 million cubic meters. In 1987, the dam was raised by 1.2 meters, increasing the storage capacity to 5.1 million cubic meters. Between 2018 and 2023, KD1 has been rehabilitated and raised to increase the storage capacity to 25 million cubic meters.