Maracha residents lack clean water, share source with animals

Ms Egaru been making the journey for about three years but recently abandoned the trek.

She has resorted to fetching water from a nearby unprotected water source to save time and energy for other productive work at home. 

"We do not have a safe water source like the boreholes or piped water system in our village. We fetch water from unprotected sources in the valley and animals also drink water from the same source," she said on May 22. 

She added that: "The water we drink is near to a road and contaminated. We have asked those in authority to extend to us a piped water system but in vain for many years. During campaigns, the political leaders make a lot of promises and when they are voted in office, they forget about us.”

At the water point, if one finds animals, he or she has to allow them to drink or chase them away. Then wait for about 20 minutes for the water to settle and fetch.

Ms Grace Bako, a resident of Nyaipio cell, said the water source they fetch from qualifies to be a water point for animals not for human beings.

She said: "It is not good to share water with animals and the surface of water we use is covered with the green algae. We are fetching water from this source because we don't have an alternative water source." 

"It is unfortunate that people do not boil the already contaminated water. Cases of waterborne diseases like typhoid, diarrhea are common in this village. So we need a lasting solution to this problem because an unhealthy community becomes unproductive,”Ms Bako added.

The situation is not different for Mr Brahan Rashid, a resident of Ompiapi village, who said: "We are drinking water from this source on condition because water is life. We sometimes get advice from officials that water fetched from unprotected water sources needs to be boiled first before consumption but this process is too long which cannot be practiced in the rural villages. To boil water or apply chemicals in water in our area is a big problem."

The Town clerk of Maracha Town Council, Mr Samuel Atiku, said access to clean water coverage in the town council stands at 40 per cent which is too low.

He said the policy in a town council only allows them to construct piped water systems but no other water sources like boreholes, springs and wells.

"We do not get funds from the central government for the water sector but the piped water system we have is under the Northern Umbrella and they are the ones managing it. The water source itself produces about 40 per cent of water because the level has gone down," he added.

Mr Atiku revealed that: "The piped water system the government intends to construct is a big one. We have already secured the piece of land and we have titled it so, we are now waiting for the ministry of water and environment to come and start the project.”

Mr Vincent Ariaka, the youth councilor, said: "We have a combined population of about 1,000 people from the two cells of Nyaipio and Gudu in Ombia ward who drink water from unprotected sources. The local community in their needs assessment tried to prioritize the issue of water but they could not be helped."  

The LC3 chairperson of Maracha Town Council, Mr Henry Orijabo, said: "When you look at the piped water system that was constructed in 2005, it was planned for around 6,000 people. Right now we are about 18,000 people which has tripled the population."

It remains unclear when the community of about 1,000 people and other areas would get clean and safe water in Maracha district.

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