Water supply disrupted in Sudanese towns

People in Khartoum and El Gedaref have had no drinking water supply for days, reportedly because of badly maintained water networks. Problems with water engines arose in northern Sudan, causing problems for residents in River Nile.

People in village 'Four' in River Nile, for those displaced by the construction of the Merowe Dam that lasted until 2009, have complained about a lack of drinking water. “Three of the water engines in the area have been non-operative for five days,” a villager told Radio Dabanga.

“Villagers have to walk for very long distances to get to a water resource.” The villagers have filed complaints to local officials, he said, but haven't received a response or a visit by any official so far.

A peaceful protest over the interrupted water supply in El Gedaref witnessed no obstruction from the police on Monday. Demonstrators, also from Wed El Kabeer district, gathered in the main street of El Gedaref and marched to the headquarters of the state government, demanding to solve the water issue.

“There has been no water supply to our districts for more than 15 days,” a demonstrator said. He said that the large demonstration “was not stopped by the police because the main demand of the people simply was water”.

For three days, the drinking water service in Jebel Awliya locality in Khartoum has been stalled. People in Um Oshar El Agalyeen have suffered from continous water cuts because the water network has been neglected, a woman in the village told Radio Dabanga.

“The people now go to the river to fetch water, using small pots, because the price of a barrel of drinking water has amounted to SDG40 ($6.50),” she explained. “The local authorities have to speed up resolving the problem.”

She said that the lack of water caused problems for the preparation of a funeral on Monday.