Residents in Kupera County of Yei River State can now access clean drinking water after broken boreholes in their areas were repaired, a local official said.
Last month, the women in Kupera complained that they had to walk long distances to fetch water risking rape and violent attacks as nearly all boreholes in the area had broken down. They appealed to the state government and development partners to repair the broken boreholes or drill new ones to provide clean water to the population.
Kupera County commissioner Emmanuel Khamis Richard told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that Water is Basic, a local charity-based organization under the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Sudan is repairing boreholes in the whole county.
“I am glad to pass my appreciation to Water is Basic and the EPC for rehabilitating ten boreholes and also assessing ten others to be rehabilitated. Five new boreholes will be drilled in areas lacking clean drinking water. This is a great contribution to the lives and safety of the people of Kupera County,” he said.
Khamis urged the aid organizations to continue supporting the county as the demand for clean drinking water is likely to rise as they expect more returnees.
Rose Ladu, a resident of Kupera County expressed her gratitude.
“I am glad because we suffered for so long drinking dirty water from running rivers and wells. I believe with this new development, we shall have clean water and also water-borne diseases like typhoid and diarrhea will be addressed,” she said.