A young girl fatching water in one of the newly constructed water kiosks at Kuzee residential area in Yambio on 28th September 2023. Photos: Charles Wote/Eye Radio.

Western Equatoria State has commissioned a 1.8-million-dollar water supply system constructed by the UN Children’s Agency – UNICEF in Yambio City.

The 18-month project that began in December 2021 was being funded by the Government of Germany through the KfW Development Bank.

According to UNICEF, the facility deemed capable of extracting up to 900,000 liters per day will provide safe and reliable water to over 45,600 residents of the state capital.

The system consists of two boreholes, 31 new water kiosks, pipe distribution networks, additional storage, solar-powered pumping systems, and a tanker filling station.

While the existing system consisted of only 3 boreholes with 5 kiosks, the new solar-powered system has five boreholes making a total of 36 water kiosks in the town.

UNICEF reports that only 36% of the population in Yambio town previously had access to limited water systems as they relied on seasonal and unsafe hand pumps.

It adds that the total water extraction capacity of all boreholes is approximately 39,000 liters per hour with an estimated daily borehole extraction of 900,000 liters.

Hamida Lasseko is the UNICEF’s Country Representative. She was speaking during the handing-over ceremony in Yambio town on Thursday.

“We are able to hand over this project which grants sustainable and safe water to about 45,000 people here in Yambio and even more big congratulations to everybody who was involved,” Lasseko said.

“In terms of the water project itself, the construction of 31 new water kiosks, pipe distribution network I was told it is about 5.9 kilometers, additional water storage facilities and this is all solar powered with some support of using generators.”

The head of cooperation and deputy head of Mission at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany said the project completion is their commitment to supporting the people of South Sudan.

Dr. Bjorn Niere said the project is a significant step towards achieving access to safe and affordable water.

“Today we celebrate the handing over of this impresses water supply infrastructure in Yambio to YUWASCO (Yambio Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Company). It was made possible by a 2.3 million Euros contribution from the German Development Corporation wire to the KfW development bank and through UNICEF,” the official said.

“This project really shows Germany takes its responsibility as one of the biggest donors to South Sudan very seriously. The successful completion of the Yambio Water project is a significant step towards achieving access to safe and affordable drinking water.”

Some of the local population who attended the inauguration ceremony in Yambio told Eye Radio they are grateful for the new water system.

“Women are going to benefit because this time we will not be going far to fetch water we are going to have clean drinking water around us,” said one beneficiary.

“We here in Yambio have been yearning for this safe and drinking water for a long time it is going to help us in a lot of things, it is going to reduce the risk of sicknesses.”

The event was presided over by the State Governor Alfred Futuyo and attended by the Undersecretary of the National Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation Peter Mahal Dhieu Akat, faith-based and traditional leaders among others.