Comparison of conventional and traditional Rijral water supply management practices case of Mpherembe in Mzimba District in Malawi

Considerable investments have been made in water supplies to reduce the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe water. However, rural water supply coverage significantly lags behind that of urban water supply. Poor rural water supply is linked to poverty and low levels of service sustainability. Sustainability of conventional rural water supply services is related to social and management issues. Conversely, studies on traditional management however, highlight the fact that their existence has stood a test of time even before the introduction of conventiona] management. The study therefore compared the traditional and conventional rural water supply management practices in Mpherembe in Mzimba district. The study employed qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Data collection tools included questionnaires, telephone interviews and photo capturing. The study examined and Classified the management practices into institutional, legal, operation and maintenance aspects of rural water supply. Governance & frameworks, taboos/beliefs, livelihood security and technology influenced sustainability of the management practices. In both management paradigms, water is recognised as a finite resource, stakeholder participation is upheld as well as women involvement in water resource management. However, water is not recognised as an economic good in the traditional management system. Interestingly, some of the traditional practices have been adopted into die conventional management mostly at local level while others are considered primitive by the communities themselves. Nevertheless, traditional management practices cannot be isolated from conventional management hence have to be upheld in the current dispensation of rural water supply.