Water Resources Management Authority

Name

Water Resources Management Authority

Legal name

Water Resources Management Authority

Website

https://warma.org.zm

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resources Regulatory Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG), Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

Keywords

• Water resources regulation
• Hydrological monitoring services
• Water permitting licensing
• Catchment management services
• Water quality monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Lusaka

HQ country

Zambia

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Regulatory Fees: As a statutory body established under the Water Resources Management Act No. 21 of 2011, WARMA operates primarily through government funding allocations. The authority generates revenue through permitting and licensing fees for water use, borehole drilling, and other regulated activities. Revenue supports operational costs, monitoring infrastructure, and regulatory enforcement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WARMA is the sole statutory authority for water resources management in Zambia, established under the Water Resources Management Act No. 21 of 2011. It issues water use permits and licenses, monitors compliance, conducts drought and flood forecasting, performs water quality testing, and manages four major catchment areas (Kafue, Luangwa, Chambeshi, and Zambezi) to protect, conserve, and equitably allocate Zambia's water resources.

Product overview

The Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) is a Zambian government regulatory body established in 2012 under the Water Resources Management Act No. 21 of 2011. WARMA operates as a unified regulatory agency offering water resources management services rather than a commercial product portfolio. Its core offerings include permitting and licensing for water use, regulation and compliance monitoring, drought and flood forecasting, water quality testing, and catchment management across four major river basins (Kafue, Luangwa, Chambeshi, and Zambezi). The Authority is currently developing a Regional Water Quality Laboratory in Ibex Hill, Lusaka, which will house specialized wet chemistry, microbiology, and soil/sediment analysis facilities. WARMA also produces Flood Forecast Reports and manages Water Resources Protection Areas (WRPAs) for strategic water source safeguarding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Permitting and Licensing WARMA's regulatory service for issuing water use permits and licenses to individuals and organizations seeking to utilize Zambia's water resources for commercial, agricultural, hydropower, mining, and other purposes.
• Regulation & Compliance Monitoring and enforcement service ensuring compliance with water resources management regulations and standards through field inspections and stakeholder engagements.
• Drought & Flood Forecast Environmental monitoring and forecasting service providing early warnings for drought conditions and flood risks across Zambia by monitoring river systems, rainfall patterns, and catchment conditions.
• Water Quality & Environment Water quality testing and environmental protection services including monitoring of pollution incidents and remediation oversight across Zambia's water bodies.
• Regional Water Quality Laboratory State-of-the-art two-storey facility in Ibex Hill, Lusaka, featuring specialized laboratories for wet chemistry, microbiology, and soil and sediment analysis. Once accredited, it will serve as a central hub for advanced water quality testing and analysis across Zambia.
• Catchment Management Services Regional water resources management across four catchments: Kafue, Luangwa, Chambeshi, and Zambezi, including monitoring stations, stakeholder engagement, and water allocation.
• Flood Forecast Reports Periodic publications and alerts providing flood risk assessments and early warning information for affected communities and stakeholders.
• Water Resources Protection Areas (WRPAs) Mapping and monitoring service for designated water source protection zones to safeguard strategic water sources including wetlands, quarries, dambos, marshlands, and head waters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Flood forecasting and early warning systems supporting disaster preparedness for communities

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU)coreOthers · 29 April 2026Key stakeholder in disaster risk management. WARMA provides flood forecasting data and early warning advisories to DMMU to support emergency response and preparedness actions.
• Zambia Meteorological DepartmentcoreOthers · 29 April 2026Collaboration partner for disaster risk communication and early warning systems. The department provides meteorological data supporting WARMA's flood forecasting operations.
• Zambia Red Cross SocietyminorOthers · 29 April 2026Humanitarian partner for disaster response. WARMA provides early warning data to support Red Cross evacuation planning and response coordination.
• China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2025Bilateral technical cooperation partner under a Memorandum of Understanding. IWHR and WARMA conduct field visits, technical exchange, and joint research on groundwater monitoring, surface water gauging, water treatment, and hydropower operations. The partnership strengthens knowledge exchange, technical cooperation, and capacity development for data-driven water resources management.
• ZESCO LimitedcoreOthersStrategic partner in hydropower sector. ZESCO is Zambia's main electricity supplier and a key stakeholder in water resource management for hydropower production. WARMA works with ZESCO on water allocation and management for energy generation.
• National Water Supply and Sanitation (NWASCO)coreOthersRegulatory partner for water supply and sanitation services. NWASCO is responsible for regulating water supply utility companies in Zambia, working with WARMA on integrated water resources management.
• Ministry of Water Development and SanitationcoreOthersParent ministry providing policy direction and oversight. WARMA operates under this ministry and coordinates on national water development and sanitation programs.
• Zambezi River AuthoritycoreOthersBilateral water management body for the Zambezi River shared between Zambia and Zimbabwe. WARMA collaborates on transboundary water resource management.
• Ministry of Transport and CommunicationminorOthersGovernment ministry with linkage to transport infrastructure that may interact with water bodies and waterways.
• Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA)coreOthersEnvironmental regulatory partner for pollution incidents and remediation. ZEMA works with WARMA on enforcement of environmental standards, particularly for mining-related water pollution.
• Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC)coreOthersMining regulatory body overseeing mineral operations. MRC collaborates with WARMA on enforcement of water use standards in the mining sector.
• UNDP ZambiaminorOthersDevelopment partner supporting water sector initiatives. Mentioned in context of water quality laboratory development and capacity building.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Global Water Partnership: International network supporting integrated water resources management in developing countries. WARMA's mandate mirrors GWP's IWRM framework, and engagement would be typical for comparable African regulators.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Water Programme: Global NGO programme focused on water resources management and ecosystem conservation. Provides policy frameworks and capacity building that complement regulatory authorities like WARMA in developing-country contexts.

Direct peers

• Water Resources Authority (Kenya): Kenya's national water resources regulator, performing catchment-level permitting, water allocation, and flood forecasting functions. Closely comparable mandate and structure to WARMA across East Africa.
• Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA): Zambia's principal environmental regulator, partnered with WARMA on pollution incidents (e.g., Sino Metals TD15 tailings dam). Comparable as a statutory enforcement body with national remit and overlapping jurisdiction on water quality.
• Zambezi River Authority: Bilateral water management body for the Zambezi River shared between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Directly collaborates with WARMA on transboundary water allocation and dam operations.
• National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO): Zambia's regulator for water supply and sanitation utilities, formally partnered with WARMA on integrated water resources management. Operates as a fellow statutory body regulating adjacent water-sector activities in Zambia.

Regional players

• Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency: South African Catchment Management Agency performing water resource management, allocation, and licensing at sub-basin level. Comparable operational scope to WARMA's catchment offices but in a different country.
• Rufiji Basin Water Board: Tanzanian basin-level water resources management body with permitting, allocation, and catchment monitoring functions. Comparable regulatory catchment-management role to WARMA, operating in a different East African jurisdiction.

Broad incumbents

• Murray-Darling Basin Authority: Australian federal authority managing a major transboundary river basin with water allocation, environmental flows, and compliance functions. Operates a similar integrated catchment mandate to WARMA but at much larger scale and federal level.
• Department of Water and Sanitation (South Africa): South Africa's national department responsible for water resources management policy and regulation. Comparable statutory regulatory mandate but operates at larger scale as part of a broader governmental portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/water-resources-management-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Water Resources Management Authority