Women in Kupera County of Yei River State have decried lack of clean drinking water in several villages.

Abau Flavia, a resident of Dongoroki village, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that women go for long distances to fetch clean water from running rivers and water sources located on top of the area’s mountains.

She said lack of clean drinking water puts more women at the risk of sexual abuses.

 “Access to water is a big problem here. We only benefit from clean water when it rains. We move long distances for about four miles to fetch water from mountains and rivers,” Abau said.

Monica Poni, a resident of Wuji payam, said many women and children suffer from typhoid and other water-borne diseases due to lack of clean drinking water.

“Some of the few boreholes are totally faulty. Those who drink water from those old boreholes are suffering from typhoid and other forms of diseases. We need clean drinking water here,” she said.

Esther Awate, the MP representing Kupera constituency in the state assembly, said all efforts to lobby for clean water have failed.

 She appealed to the state authorities and development partners to provide clean drinking water to the population in the county.

“We are facing a lot of problems when it comes to clean drinking water. We are appealing to NGOs to help the people in Kupera County. There were many boreholes that were drilled and are not functional after the outbreak of the conflict,” Awate said.

She added, “There are many returnees and IDPs who returned to the area. Children in schools are also lacking clean drinking water”.

Yei River State is one of the areas affected by the country's five-year civil war.