Caretakers keep water flowing

Twenty-two year old Dema gives the brass tap a vehement last twist with her wrench and off it comes. The small group of women of Serigang village in Punakha break into smiles as she replaces the broken tap with a new one. The village tap is now fixed. Dema smiles as a jet of water gushes onto the dry cement base of the tap stand built four years ago.

Dema is a volunteer caretaker of the water supply system in the village, trained to look after the facilities for the 30 households as part of a UNICEF- assisted water and sanitation project.

It is mandatory that each village nominates and trains village water caretakers before water supply systems are installed in rural areas. There is also a village health development committee appointed for each facility.

The 1,900 caretakers, along with about 650 committees, are key to making communities more responsible for the operation, maintenance and repair of water supply facilities in their villages.

Dema is among an increasing number of women taking active part in sustaining one of life's essential services, the village water supply. One in four of the caretakers are women.

Villagers help to clear irrigation channels and provide labour in the building and routine maintenance of the water source and pipelines.

The caretakers and maintenance committees play a vital role in sustaining the water supply schemes in remote areas.