Nyala, August 19 (Darfur24)
Authorities have begun installing and distributing drinking-water purification stations in several cities and localities across Darfur amid a worsening water crisis caused by damage to water sources and rising operating costs.
In Nyala, South Darfur, the civil administration inaugurated a water purification station in Majok, east of the city, with support from the Constituent Government. Another station was handed over to Rahad Al-Bardi locality, southwest of Nyala.
In Zalingei, Central Darfur, local authorities inaugurated a purification plant on Sunday, with each unit capable of processing 30,000 liters of water. The civil administration’s press office said two additional plants would be installed in Wadi Saleh and Um Dukhun localities in the coming days.
The war has disrupted several water sources across Darfur and increased the cost of operating water stations, particularly due to high fuel, spare parts, and oil prices.
The South Darfur Water Authority previously developed a plan to reduce reliance on fuel by 40 percent by expanding the use of solar energy to operate water stations in different localities.
Large parts of Darfur have long faced chronic shortages of drinking water, which worsen during the dry season because of limited supplies. The risk of contamination of water sources also increases during the rainy season.
Water authorities in several parts of South Darfur have meanwhile been repairing damaged infrastructure and drilling new wells to expand water supplies and meet the needs of communities affected by the war.