GS1247 VPA 262 Improved Kitchen Regimes Multi-Country PoA - Dowa Boreholes, Malawi

Audit Analysis

This Gold Standard borehole project in Malawi has a VVB-verified combined additionality test and no reported reversal events, but lacks a buffer pool despite demonstrable borehole failures (water quality issues, extended outages). The 0% leakage deduction justified as 'deemed negligible' is questionable for a water-supply project where communities can revert to alternative sources, and the negative SDG 5 impact (29–39% increase in water-collection time) raises concerns about real-world project performance. Numerous data-quality corrective actions and 12 inter-document contradictions, combined with low extraction confidence, limit confidence in the overall record.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠No buffer pool or permanence mechanism despite multiple boreholes failing (324-005 removed for water quality, 294-172 out of service for extended period) — energy-efficiency credits are at risk of reversal if boreholes are not maintained
• ⚠Leakage deduction reduced from 5% in the PDD (2023) to 0% in the verification report (2025) with only a 'deemed negligible' justification, which is weak for a borehole project where households can revert to other water sources
• ⚠SDG 5 impact is negative: 29–39% increase in time spent collecting water and firewood compared to baseline, undermining the project's co-benefit claims
• ⚠12 contradictions across documents, including monitoring method (annual survey vs. smart meter), leakage treatment, and crediting period dates, indicating inconsistent record-keeping
• ⚠Low extraction confidence across the 42-document record, meaning key data may be incomplete or misread

Credit Vintages