Survey/ Salah Alwasae & Heba Altua'abai
"We traverse great distances from our homes to reach water tanks supported by charitable organizations and associations, in search of liters of potable water." This is how Hisham Al-Saman articulates the hardships faced by his family, residing in the city of Taiz, as they strive to access clean water.
Al-Saman conveys to Khuyut: "The extent of our plight is beyond imagination. When the water supply in the tanks dwindles, both children and the entire household endure water shortages, even in fulfilling basic needs in the bathrooms, for days on end. We are compelled to purchase drinking water from local stores or water purification stations at escalated prices compared to before, all in an effort to alleviate the family's distress and cater to their health requirements."
He further laments: "We are also bearing the brunt of the ruthless blockade imposed on the city of Taiz. Following numerous futile attempts with water tank proprietors, we are left waiting for weeks to secure water for our household tanks, at rates higher than ever experienced."
The city of Taiz, nestled in the southwest of Yemen, is currently facing a lingering water crisis that has dramatically exacerbated since the commencement of the conflict in 2015, reaching a critical juncture in recent times due to the extensive damage inflicted upon the city's water infrastructure.
An imperceptible yet substantial issue brought to light by Khuyut is the precarious status and locations of the water basins that sustain Taiz, coupled with the prolonged siege imposed on the city. This blockade continues to encircle the principal water basins situated in the areas of Al-Haima and Al-Hoban to the eastern side of the province, falling within the grasp of the Houthi faction.
The contamination of water poses a grave risk as a potential carrier of perilous epidemic diseases like cholera, malaria, dengue fever, bilharzia, and typhoid. This underscores the urgent need for a meticulous examination of the city's water sources, along with conducting microbial assessments of water and food to identify bacterial presence and disrupt the transmission of infections. Furthermore, the issue of water scarcity not only heightens the vulnerability of individuals to microbial threats due to inadequate sanitation practices but also compounds the challenges faced by the residents of Taiz in safeguarding their health and well-being.
The World Bank indeed recognizes the city of Taiz in southwestern Yemen as one of the most afflicted areas in the country. The disruption caused by the conflict has aggravated the situation to the extent that the government water supply has been halted since the onset of the war, leaving residents without access to regular water distribution.
The water crisis in Taiz has tragically compelled young children to take on the burden of fetching water, resulting in dangerous journeys to collect water from alternative sources such as mosques or community-provided barrels known as "water of the way." Regrettably, this endeavor has led to casualties and injuries among these children.
Furthermore, the World Bank's report, issued three years after the commencement of the conflict in Yemen in 2015, highlighted a grave water crisis threatening the population with thirst. This crisis has only added to the existing challenges faced by the conflict-torn nation, with Yemen already grappling with water scarcity issues prior to the outbreak of war. Experts had forewarned of groundwater depletion in Yemen by 2017, a forecast that the conflict further exacerbated. The exploitation of groundwater, amidst the chaos and armed conflicts, intensified, ultimately leading to the breakdown of government water institutions.
Unsafe Water Procurement Methods Heighten Water Crisis in Taiz
The pressing water crisis in Taiz intensifies as most wells dry up and rainfall patterns fluctuate due to climate change. A significant number of households in Taiz rely on well water for essential tasks like cooking and cleaning.
Furthermore, residents of Taiz face escalating water scarcity issues as they move away from the city center. Mustafa Al-Basha, a patriarch residing in the Al Daeri neighborhood of Taiz, shares the daily challenges he and his family endure with Khuyut platform. He reveals, "My youngest son, Taher, shoulders the responsibility of fetching water from the neighborhood's communal reservoir." Mustafa laments, "We struggle with a scarcity of clean, drinkable water, compelling us to resort to unsafe water sources."
Living in the vicinity of Cairo Castle, Mustafa's son, Taher, treks up the mountain daily carrying filled jerry cans, hindering his growth and educational progress. The local community congregates around the communal reservoir upon its replenishment, leading to long queues of women, children, and girls, often sparking disputes and altercations among the neighborhood dwellers.
Another resident of the city of Taiz voices a pressing concern, highlighting the prevalent practice of using rainwater stored in uncovered tanks during the scorching summer months. This method, while seemingly resourceful, poses a significant risk of contamination from animals. The resident shares, "It is common for cats to accidentally fall into these open tanks, resulting in water pollution that affects the quality and safety of the stored water."
Adding to the discourse, Tarek Ahmed, a fellow inhabitant of the city, expresses his dismay over the escalating prices of water tanks and the looming threat of their depletion. In their neighborhood, rainwater collected from house roofs cascades into metal and plastic tanks situated near the residences. Unfortunately, due to the perpetual exposure to the elements, these tanks often become breeding grounds for insects and small worms, compromising the cleanliness of the collected rainwater.
Despite the risk of contamination, residents persist in utilizing this rainwater for daily chores such as washing and cleaning, except for drinking purposes. The dual challenge of ensuring water accessibility while grappling with potential health hazards underscores the complex water crisis gripping the city of Taiz.
Impact of Water Contamination on Public Health in Taiz
Dr. Ashraf Al Kamali, a seasoned general physician and skilled surgeon, draws attention to the pressing issue of water pollution in Taiz and its profound implications for public health. He underscores to Khuyut the critical importance of water purity and its suitability for human consumption, whether for drinking or for various essential uses like cooking and sanitation.
Moreover, Dr. Al-Kamali highlights the alarming reality that contaminated water can serve as a breeding ground for dangerous waterborne diseases like cholera, malaria, dengue fever, schistosomiasis, and typhoid, posing a grave threat to the populace of Taiz. He emphasizes that the city is grappling with a genuine water crisis, with the rampant spread of cholera cases posing a severe risk to the lives of many.
Furthermore, he underscores the imperative need for meticulous scrutiny of the city's water sources, advocating for thorough microbial assessments of water reservoirs and food supplies to pinpoint bacterial contamination hotspots and interrupt the transmission of infections. Drawing attention to the pressing issue of water scarcity, Dr. Al-Kamali notes that inadequate access to clean water heightens the susceptibility of individuals to microbial pathogens due to compromised hygiene practices.
Local Mediation Efforts and Humanitarian Initiatives
In the same vein, Wala Obeid, the Communication Officer at the Saba Youth Organization, sheds light on the organization's proactive stance in combating the water crisis gripping Taiz. She elaborates, "Our organization has successfully executed projects like 'Support One' and 'Support Two,' with ongoing endeavors focused on 'Support Three' and the subsequent phase of 'Support Two.'"
A series of grassroots initiatives have taken root, involving the digging of wells within residential enclaves to alleviate a fraction of the pressing water needs, serving merely 5% of the localities benefiting from this service. Activists pinpoint the water shortages to the blockade imposed by Houthi forces in Taiz, with vital water reservoirs and wells falling under their control in areas like Al-Haima, Kalaba, and Al-Hawjala.
Obeid discloses that the organization is actively engaged in crafting a groundbreaking roadmap that unites the water institutions in Al-Houban, overseen by the Houthis, and the government-endorsed water entity, fostering a collaborative approach to water management in the area.
Furthermore, she remarks, "In recent times, our organization spearheaded mediations between governmental bodies and the Ansar Allah faction, resolving inter-district conflicts in Taiz and orchestrating repairs on water pipelines, culminating in the restoration of the water institution headquarters and the Al-Majlia reservoirs."
Escalation of Water Prices and Local Neglect Amplify Crisis in Taiz
The cost of water delivered by trucks has soared to almost five times its pre-2015 levels, exacerbating the plight of approximately 1.6 million residents in Taiz who urgently require drinking water assistance. Many inhabitants now rely on humanitarian aid provided by local and international organizations, which distribute water through tanker trucks to neighborhoods.
Salah Ahmed Ghaleb, a passionate youth activist in Taiz, has meticulously crafted a comprehensive policy document addressing the city's water crisis. He reveals to Khuyut the profound struggles faced by the populace, highlighting that the price of a 6000-liter water tank has skyrocketed to around 30,000 riyals amid the pervasive poverty afflicting the community.
Furthermore, Ghaleb underscores, "Recently, a coalition of initiatives has undertaken the digging of wells within residential areas, albeit covering only a fraction of the demand, reaching a mere 5% of the neighborhoods serviced by this initiative." He attributes the water scarcity to the blockade enforced by the Houthis on Taiz, emphasizing that "the major water reservoirs and wells under the jurisdiction of the water institution are situated in areas controlled by them, such as Al-Haima, Kalaba, and Al-Hawjala."
The Houthis, in their obstinacy, persist in their refusal to pump water despite the earnest efforts of numerous local initiatives aimed at resolving this issue through dialogue with them, local authorities, and the water institution in Taiz, as highlighted by Ghaleb. He pointed out a glaring neglect within the water institution in devising solutions, like increasing well drilling and ensuring the success of the recent initiative spearheaded by the "Humanitarian Cell," which could greatly alleviate the dire crisis faced by the populace if put into action.
As per a report by Human Rights Watch, prior to the war, the city used to receive approximately 56,000 cubic meters of water daily, satisfying the needs of the residents adequately. However, post-war, the available water supply plummeted to a mere 17,000 cubic meters per day. This stark reduction means that the current water provision caters to merely around 30% of the daily requirements of the population, leading to a significant crisis in supplying clean and drinkable water.
In conclusion, it is crucial to highlight that Yemen is classified among the countries with the most severe poverty rates globally in terms of per capita water availability. The annual per capita water availability in Yemen is a mere 120 cubic meters, significantly lower than the global average of 7,500 cubic meters in other nations and 1,250 cubic meters for countries in Africa and the Middle East. This stark contrast underscores the acute water scarcity and challenges faced by the people of Yemen, further exacerbating the already dire situation in the region.
