Water is Basic South Sudan, a local charity organization, said it has started drilling new boreholes and repairing broken ones in rural areas of Yei River State.

The announcement came after residents of Kupera County complained through Radio Tamazuj about lack of clean drinking water, which puts lives at risk.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, the Archbishop of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Elias Taban said a team of technicians from the organization will be sent to Kupera County to repair the broken boreholes.

Taban, who is the President of Water is Basic South Sudan, said technicians from the organization are currently repairing broken boreholes in parts of Mugwo and Lujule counties to ensure citizens access clean water in order to avoid water-borne diseases.

“Recently, our team was in Mugwo and repaired a broken borehole at the county headquarters, one at the health center and another one at Alero primary school,” he said.

He added, “Right now, our team is in Lujule County repairing 10 boreholes and in a week’s time, they will be going to Kupera County in response to the need for clean water there. We have discovered that the need is huge over there”.

Archbishop Taban further said plans are underway, with support from Water is Basic-USA, to implement new solar projects in Yei River, Gogrial and the Greater Lakes states to address water shortages in rural areas.

“We have two drilling rigs and we drilled seven boreholes in Yei River County last month. We also have a solar water box which is the best solution on the need for clean water in our communities with 99.9 % clean water,” he said.

On his part, the Lujule County commissioner, Joseph Mawa Taban confirmed that 10 boreholes were repaired in his area.

“Rehabilitation of boreholes has been ongoing in my county and people are happy because they have started drinking clean water in the county. There were 10 boreholes repaired in the payams and assessments are ongoing for boreholes to be repaired,” Mawa said.

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