Communities benefit from water truck delivery of safe drinking water
drought-stricken communities are provided with immediate relief through supplementary water supplies
Omusati Region, Namibia, 26 February 2018 – When Saara Leonard (31years old) hears the distant roaring sound of a truck approaching Okatseidhi village in Omusati Region, she abandons all her other household chores, collects her empty water containers and her baby Theresia, and dashes out to the shopping centre. Over the last three months, Saara has learnt to identify this as the sound of a water delivery truck. She has also learnt that this massive truck will make a stop at the shopping centre to allow the more than 200 households to fetch some of this precious liquid.
“It is always a happy moment for all of us when the truck comes with water to our village,” explains Saara, a mother of three, whose greatest joy comes from knowing that the water she is about to collect from the truck is safe and clean.
Saara is among the first to arrive at the assembly point, and cannot hide her excitement as she positions her three containers to begin the formation of an orderly queue. Before long, all the other neighbours begin to stream to the assembly point, each one carrying their own empty containers, eager to collect as much water as they possibly can.
As they patiently await the truck to be stationed, they share the sad tale of how they rely of the rains and natural sources for water on most days because the piped water does not always have enough pressure to reach the village. The region has however not received decent rainfall in over two years.
“There are times we go for days without getting a drop of water from the pipes.” Saara further explains that their only alternative to the piped water has been to get water from the nearby shallow wells.
The task of fetching water from the well is unpleasant – not because of the long walk she has to undertake under the hot sun, but also because the look and the smell of the water are enough to indicate that it is unsafe for human consumption.
“We are really grateful that now we do not have drink that water, it looks dirty and it tastes very salty,” says Saara, as she frowns at the mere memory of drinking the water from the well.
The Government of Namibia has historically made access to safe water a national priority and to date more than 84% of the population is able to access piped water. However, recent episodes of drought and below average rainfall, have cut off nearly 311 000 people from accessing safe drinking water.
As long term solutions to water scarcity are being developed, USAID through UNICEF, has supported the Government of Namibia with a consignment of eight 10 000 litre water tankers, which aim to provide immediate relief and reduce vulnerability of the affected families.
Since being deployed to regions across the country in late 2017, 31 communities, 16 schools and 3 health centres have regularly benefited from the supply of trucked safe and clean water. The kind of exhilaration and relief which Saara and her fellow villagers from Okatseidhi village are experiencing today, is similar to that being experienced among these other communities.
Through the Quasi-Government company, Namwater, communities in need of supplementary water supplies are regularly reached by the water tankers. Communities are also being supported with knowledge on how to maintain the water safe as they transport it from the collection point and also as they store it for future use in the home.
“Water is a key solution to promoting human dignity and should be our effort if we are to attain the different targets of the Sustainable Development Goals” says UNICEF Representative, Ms. Rachel Odede. “Without water, it is difficult for Namibia to successfully combat diseases, reduce poverty, reduce child and maternal mortality, achieve gender equality or keep children in school”.
Back home, Saara ensures that the fetched water is kept in a safe in a tightly capped container. She then takes a cup from her kitchen cabinet and gives baby Theresia a taste of the fresh clean water that they had gone out to collect, grateful that this water will not cause illness to her baby.
