GROUNDWATER CRISIS

"Malawi is the 25th most vulnerable country to climate change out of 181. Malawi has experienced at least 19 major floods, seven droughts, and repeated cyclones over the past five decades, leading to widespread displacement, food insecruty, and damage to infrastructure"

Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative 2020 Ranking

22,000,000 Malawians

80% of the population relies on groundwater for drinking and farming.

33,000 hectares of forest every year

Severely degraded catchments mean less rainfall recharges groundwater.

62,000 boreholes

76% of failures are due to poor construction or gradually depleting water sources.

100 groundwater monitoring wells

16% were able to provide water level data, while the rest were non-functional due to vandalism.

Number 5 on the Global Climate Risk Index

Malawi has been hit by 11 cyclones since 2017.

A woman carrying a bucket walking in knee-high floodwaters

Extreme Weather Events

Malawi is facing a harsh new climate reality—cyclones, floods, and droughts are hitting harder and more often. These disasters displace families, wreck homes, and wipe out water systems. Pipes, pumps, and boreholes are destroyed, rebuilt, and destroyed again—locking communities in a brutal cycle of recovery. This cannot continue. With scarce resources and rising threats, Malawi needs urgent, bold investment in climate resilience to protect lives, defend the right to safe water, and end this cycle once and for all.

Degraded Catchments and Limited Recharge

In the 1970s, Malawi had around 4,000 boreholes—today, that number exceeds 62,000, revealing surging groundwater demand. Yet recharge is falling fast due to deforestation, erosion, and erratic rains. Tree planting alone hasn’t restored degraded catchments because communities lack incentives. Without ownership or clear benefits, conservation efforts fail—and boreholes run dry. This crisis won’t fix itself. We must invest in bold, community-led solutions that link ecosystem restoration with real livelihoods and lasting rewards. Only then can we protect groundwater and secure water for the future.

Tw o men drawing water from a pump

Fragmented Groundwater Data Flows

Monitoring wells are vital for tracking groundwater and warning of depletion—critical in water-stressed Malawi. Yet over 80% lie broken due to vandalism, neglect, and weak community ownership. Data is scattered, rarely reaching decision-makers when it matters most. This failure puts lives and water security at risk. We must act now: rebuild the system with strong local engagement, clear value for communities, and seamless data flow from village to national level. Groundwater can’t be protected if we’re flying blind.

Borehole drilling in progress

Limited Technical Capacities

In Malawi, local governments often lack the technical skills to supervise borehole drilling. Most frontline staff aren’t trained in groundwater development and can’t enforce standards. While drillers are blamed for poor work, many face unfair contracts that push them to cut corners. On top of that, access to clear, locally relevant groundwater information is limited. The result? Poorly built boreholes that fail and erode public trust in safe water. This broken system must be fixed—with proper training, fair contracts, strong accountability, and clear groundwater standards.