By Innocent Bidal Emmanuel
The Eastern Equatoria Civil Society Network (EECSN) has called for emergency water supplies, borehole drilling, improved sanitation, and an urgent health assessment in Lokorumor, a rapidly growing mining settlement in Natinga Payam, Kapoeta East County.
In a statement that was released by the civil society groups, a severe water shortage in a gold-mining area of Eastern Equatoria State has left thousands of residents struggling to access safe drinking water, raising concerns about the risk of disease.
“The crisis has been exacerbated by prolonged drought, putting further pressure on communities whose livelihoods depend on livestock, small-scale farming, and gold mining,” the statement partly read.
According to Alphonse Lotunyeny, chairperson of the network, communities should not be forced to spend hours travelling to look for water or sleep at water points simply to obtain this basic necessity.
He stated that some residents are travelling for about six hours to collect water, while others are spending nights at water points waiting for their turn.
Lotunyeny underscored that emergency water supplies could provide immediate relief, while boreholes and better sanitation would offer longer-term solutions.
Meanwhile, Moses Lokolong, a youth leader in Kapoeta East, estimated the population of the mining area at about 4,000, saying it could rise to 5,000 this month and 7,000 next month as people from surrounding villages move to the site.
“All the people from all the villages have gone there. All the sections, I mean, all of them have gone to the mining area,” Lokolong said.
“Residents have been forced to seek water from a river, sometimes digging six to seven meters into the riverbed to find it; others transport water from Narus to the mining area,” he added.
The water shortage is also placing pressure on sanitation facilities in the settlement, increasing concerns about the spread of waterborne diseases.
Lokolong said residents had reported diarrhoea, vomiting, and other symptoms, with children particularly affected.
“Many children are suffering; many of them are dying,” he narrated.
He emphasised that four infants died last month, although the causes of death had not been independently verified.
Lokolong added that he had reported the situation to local authorities, but no other assistance had been made.
“We are reporting to the local authorities so that they will see another alternative of assisting the community,” he said.
“South Sudan has some of the world’s weakest access to clean water and sanitation, while recurring drought, conflict, and displacement have compounded humanitarian needs in several parts of the country,” he stated.
The EECSN urged the government, humanitarian agencies, donors, and development partners to provide emergency water, drill boreholes, improve sanitation, conduct a rapid WASH assessment, and strengthen disease surveillance and medical services.