Coal mining may significantly affect water quality evolution within catchments. An understanding of hydrogeochemical processes is vital in sustaining useable water supplies under the changing climatic and local pressures. This study was conducted to determine major hydrogeochemical processes within Livingstonia Coal fields in Rumphi district, Northern Malawi. Grab water samples were collected in triplicate from rivers, boreholes as well as springs, and analyzed for levels of temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, total alkalinity, sodium (Na⁺), potassium (K⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), iron (Fe²⁺), chlorides, carbonates, bicarbonates, nitrates, phosphates and sulphates using standard methods. Geochemists’ Workbench® Release software, bivariate plots, Gibbs plots, SPSS version 24.0 and water quality index calculation softwares were utilized. The results revealed that water is slightly alkaline with a potential risk of contamination. Levels of all parameters, except for K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Fe²⁺ in some samples, were observed to be within the Malawi Standards drinking water quality specifications. It was observed hydrogeochemical processes such as carbonate weathering, evaporation, precipitation and acid mine-drainage, which were induced by climatic variation, were the major hydrogeochemical processes influencing water quality in the study area. Nevertheless, anthropogenic activities were also observed to be impacting on quality of water in some samples. Carbonate weathering was observed to the major acid-neutralizing process in the study area. An integrated water resources management plan is suggested for sustainable management of water resources in the face of climatic pressures as well as anthropogenic pressures in the study area.

煤矿开采可能会显着影响流域内的水质演变。了解水文地球化学过程对于在不断变化的气候和当地压力下维持可用水供应至关重要。本研究旨在确定马拉维北部伦菲区利文斯顿煤田内的主要水文地球化学过程。从河流、钻孔和泉水中一式三份地收集水样，并分析温度、pH 值、电导率、总溶解固体、总硬度、总碱度、钠 (Na ⁺ )、钾 (K ⁺ )、钙 (Ca ²⁺ )、镁 (Mg ²⁺ )、铁 (Fe ²⁺)、氯化物、碳酸盐、碳酸氢盐、硝酸盐、磷酸盐和硫酸盐，使用标准方法。使用 Geochemists' Workbench® Release 软件、二元图、吉布斯图、SPSS 24.0 版和水质指数计算软件。结果显示，水呈弱碱性，有潜在的污染风险。所有参数的水平，除了 K ⁺、Ca ²⁺和 Fe ²⁺在一些样品中，观察到符合马拉维标准饮用水质量规格。观察到气候变化引起的碳酸盐岩风化、蒸发、降水和酸性矿山排水等水文地球化学过程是影响研究区水质的主要水文地球化学过程。尽管如此，也观察到人为活动对某些样品的水质产生影响。研究区主要的酸中和过程观察到碳酸盐风化作用。针对研究区面临的气候压力和人为压力，建议制定综合水资源管理计划，以实现水资源的可持续管理。