Damaged infrastructure and limited development has left 15.4 million people in need of WASH assistance in 2023. Lack of access to safe water has forced vulnerable households to rely on unsafe water sources.
In Al Hawta and Tuban districts in Lahj governorate, Yemen, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) with European Union Humanitarian Aid has successfully addressed the water access challenges by harnessing solar power.
Water Access Challenges and Power Outages:
The primary source of water in Al Hawta and Tuban districts in Lahj governorate has been groundwater, obtained through wells and extracted manually or with the use of electrical or diesel-powered pumps. However, some of these water sources got damaged, as the community faced difficulties maintaining the pumps due to the costs associated with powering the pumps.
According to Ehab Hussain, a 31-year-old resident of Al Hawta:
"Due to continuous power outages, we experienced low water pressure, making it difficult for us to access sufficient water. Regrettably, these power outages also disrupted the water supply, leaving some people with no choice but to purchase water. This was particularly challenging as the cost of buying water, which amounted to around 10,000 Yemeni riyals [18 dollars] per 1,000 litres, was unaffordable for many of us."
The situation was particularly dire in Al Husseini camp, located in Tuban, Lahj governorate, which accommodates 70 households comprising internally displaced persons (IDPs) and marginalized individuals. The camp's residents relied on a benefactor who owned a farm and provided water to the IDP water points through pumps.
However, if the benefactor lacked diesel, the water supply for the entire camp was disrupted. Consequently, the displaced individuals suffered from severe water scarcity, forcing women to undertake long journeys under harsh temperatures to fetch water. They often carried heavy loads on their heads or relied on donkeys for transporting water.
