By Chol Makol Riak
Residents of Jonglei State’s Capital, Bor are decrying shortage of clean drinking water after the water station was submerged by flood water.
According to the residents, they used to get clean drinking water from Bor water station which was later shutdown due to a devastating flood that submerged the water station.
The residents say each family is limited to fetch 6 jerry cans an equivalent to 120 litres per day which can not be able to sustain some families with large members.
Akur Ajak Deng, a resident of Block One in Bor called on the State Government especially Bor water station to drain the station and supply the public with clean drinking water.
“Since the shutdown of Bor water station, we have been going through difficulties on where to get clean drinking water. We all know that water is life and without enough clean water life is too hard” Akur said.
Akur added that most areas are currently populated due to displacement caused by the devastating flooding in Jonglei State and it makes it difficult to get water.
Nyanthiech Anyang, a resident of block two says they are experiencing hardship on where to get water since the shutdown of the Bor water station.
She said the only borehole they have in their area is broken adding that getting water has become so hard.
“Before flooding, life was good, but after the flood came it turned to be so difficult to get water because Bor water station was submerged with water and the other source of water is operating through solar system which doesn’t work when it is cloudy” Nyanthiech said.
She added that they travel to fetch water in distant places which makes it hard. She said the only way to get water now is to sleep over night at the borehole.
The areas most affected by the shutdown of Bor water station include Maror, Hai-salaam, Block one, two, three and six and other areas.
Eng. John Jurkuch Yak, area manager for Bor water station said the station has been supplying the people of Jonglei with clean drinking water thereafter interrupted by the flooding.
He said the water station is still submerged with water adding that his office is working harder to ensure that the resident of Bor have access to clean drinking water.
“The flood submerged the water station on 18th September and as the whole station is under water our operators could not do anything, they couldn’t start the generator and even operate the pump and thereafter we are not able to supply water to the population” John said.
However, John apologized to the public that they have been serving adding that it is a natural disaster and will be addressed.
John stated that the water station is one of the important parts that deserve protection from the flooding.
“Water is very important, it’s one of the places that the state government and the community should protect like schools, market, hospital and other public places. So, I believe the recent dyke will soon help rescue the water station” he said.
He said the water level is reducing and thus the operation of water supply will resume soon.
“All the broken parts of the dyke are blocked and the problem is that the water has no outlet but as soon as the water reduce to the level that the pump can operate then we will immediately service the machines and resume operation” John said.
He disclosed that the water station will resume within three weeks’ time.
John urged the residents of Bor to treat their drinking water as the station is working to supply them with clean drinking water.