Is the water out?

A neighbour-reported board of where Mzuzu's water is on or off right now, plus the NRWB fault line to call.

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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.

No water cuts reported right now.

CBD (town centre)
No reports
Katoto
No reports
Luwinga
No reports · Often intermittent
Chibavi
No reports
Chibanja
No reports
Zolozolo
No reports
Masasa
No reports · Documented shortages
Mchengautuwa
No reports
Chiputula
No reports
Kaning'ina
No reports
Nkhorongo
No reports · Higher ground — dries first
Lupaso
No reports · Intermittent supply
Area 1B
No reports
Katawa
No reports

How this works

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.

Call 374 Official page

Drinking water

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.