Water tankers filling at the newly-built water-point in Gudelle suburb, Juba (Photo Credit: Koang Pal Chang/Eye Radio)

Some Juba residents say they have gone for four days without access to water for domestic use, a situation attributed to an ongoing strike by blue water tankers in protest of price reductions.

In early October, the City Council introduced new water prices, directing water tankers to sell a drum of water at 2,500 South Sudan pounds within the city and 3,500 pounds in the suburbs.

But the drivers reject the rates, arguing that they are insufficient to cover the rising costs of operating their tankers, including maintenance, fuel, and traffic fees.

Several citizens who spoke to Eye Radio have voiced their concerns in radio interviews, describing the significant difficulties they face without access to clean water and urge the authorities to resolve the standoff swiftly.

“After the city authorities issued the new price for selling water, the water tankers disappeared from the neighborhoods for the fourth day now, and these tankers are standing in police stations, and we do not know if they were stopped or what,” said Francis from Kor-wiliang.

“But today there are only two tanker drivers from South Sudan working; there are no foreigners, and I blame this problem on the authorities who do not follow up on the decisions they issue.”

On his part, Sultan Joseph from Suk Sita in Juba said the area has now gone for a third day without water. “When you tell them that there is a sale price, they disappear and do not come to the area again,” he said.

“We are suffering the worst because of the absence of water tankers from the area. We had some water tanker drivers whom we dealt with.”

In response to the ongoing water shortage, Juba City authorities have enforced an order requiring water tanker drivers to comply with the newly imposed tariff.

The officials have warned that drivers who violate the pricing regulations will face legal consequences, including stripping uncompliant drivers of their license.

But despite these warnings, the strike continues, leaving residents struggling to meet their water needs.

James Joseph, from the Amadi area west of the capital, said the tankers have continued to stay off work even as residents have been begging them to sell them water at their own prices.

“We kept asking them to sell us water at the old price of 5,000 South Sudanese pounds because they did not respond. We have now been without a drop of water in the neighborhood for four days.”

“The problem is exacerbated by the new price imposed by the government, which the tanker drivers did not accept. We want the government to intervene, even if it returns the old price of 5,000 South Sudanese pounds.”

“I believe that these tankers need diesel to operate and maintain, in addition to the traffic police who collect money from the drivers.”

Deputy Juba Mayor Thiik Thiik Mayardit has acknowledged the difficulties faced by residents in obtaining drinking water due to the ongoing absence of water tankers.

Mayardit admitted that the water crisis has worsened because City Council decided to reduce the water prices without the involvement of water sellers.

The deputy mayor promised to intervene and hold consultations with the tanker drivers to resolve the issue.

Mayardit said the Council is currently negotiating with the water sellers, and they will resume work on Monday after a mutual agreement on the tariff.

The official said he has spoken to the ambassador of Eritrea, where most of the tanker drivers are from, to convince them to return to work.

“I told him that water tankers are not operating. Some citizens had four days and others five days without water. I want to say that whenever you want to do something, you must sit with the other side, and they did not agree.”

“This is where you will come up as a government, and you will say that I’ve tried this and the people did not listen to me. So, I’m going to use my power as a government.”

Juba City does not have a pipe water distribution system, and its residential areas rely on water tankers for domestic use. Residents have been calling on the government to construct a more reliable water distribution network.

“You don’t do something without having an alternative to the problem when they were calling the parliament, and in the parliament, the mayors told the parliament, Are you going to help me in what I’m going to do?”

Deputy Mayor Thiik said the Eritrean ambassador promised that the water tankers will soon resume work.

In October 5, Central Equatoria Governor Augustino Jadalla directed Juba City Council leadership to withdraw the license of water tankers who continue to stay off work amid an ongoing strike that has left Juba residents in dire need of water.

The governor told the City Council leadership to address pressing issues facing the city, including the resistance of water tankers against its fixed prices as well as waste management and improved service delivery.