Residents of Mecanhelas, in the Niassa province, north of Mozambique, are
struggling with the lack of potable water for domestic consumption. The
population relies on traditional, unprotected wells in the swamps.
The villages of Chitayo and Nicolope are examples, where
around 250 families consume murky water. Besides the water being unsuitable,
women and children travel long distances to get the precious liquid. "The
water we drink is not good, it is murky. The conditions of the well do not
allow for hygiene; when we fetch it, we step on the water, which is not
good," complained Juliana Alberto, a resident of the village of Chitayo.
The situation becomes even more threatening when it
rains, as surrounding impurities are washed away, mixing with the water, and
consumers fear getting sick. "When it rains, the water gets dirty. We wash
clothes, also take a bath here, and drink the same water. We have no other
option, the wells are very far, and they quickly break down," said
Essinate, a resident of the same village.
In turn, the community leader, Raimundo Razula, told our
reporter that he has been asking the authorities to address the problem and
reiterated his desire for a solution. "Here, we are suffering from the
water problem, it would be good if we had a well."
Mecanhelas is the most populous district in Niassa, with
an estimated population of about 300,000 inhabitants. The population lives on
the brink of significant shortages in basic social services, with access to
potable water being one of the most critical issues. The current water supply
coverage rate is about 30%. (Jaime
Paculeque)
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