By Kantarawaddy Times
Since the first week of February this year, five villages in the southeastern part of Pruso Township, Kayah State, have been using the red ponds for drinking water, as there is no water in the reservoir that was collected, locals said.
“In our area, situated between Tee Theh Ku and Bue Ku village, access to water is very difficult, and we have to look for donors. Every year, we face the problem of water scarcity, and we got some water donors; however, this year, we haven’t found any support yet. In previous years, when there were donors, they used to provide us with water tanks,” said a local who lives in Pruso Township.
It has been informed that residents have to walk over an hour to get clean drinking water. Locals said that they face water shortages in the village due to the water sources having to be shared with IDPs.
“The water is very scarce; on foot, it takes about half an hour to go and an hour to come back,” stated a resident.
It has been reported that those who do not own a car or a motorcycle must get up early in the morning to fetch water. Residents, including IDPs, face financial difficulty to transport water from the water source by motorbike and truck.
Villages located in eastern Pruso do not have water sources, and they have to depend on the red pond for drinking water and face the problem of unclean water every year.
Healthcare workers have observed and said that those villages that face water scarcity every summer season can experience stomach aches and skin diseases.
“Using water from the red pond is dirty, and the dead leaves falling in the water can cause skin diseases. In the summer season, this dirty water can lead to diarrhea. Gradually, I am afraid that it will lead to kidney disease,” he added.
It has been informed that over 200 households from five villages, including IDPs, are using this red pond water together. It is reported that the residents and IPDs who are facing water scarcity issues are in need of water donors.
