Severe water shortages reported across Burma

Friday, 21 May 2010
By Kyaw Kha .
(Mizzima) – High temperatures and low rainfall have caused severe water shortages all across Burma. Lakes, rivers and wells are at record low levels. The ongoing water crisis has made life increasingly difficult for millions of people. Mizzima has begun to compile a list of villages, townships, divisions and states worst affected by the water shortage.

Pegu Division

In five townships of Pegu Division – Pegu, Wall, Thanutpin, Kawa and Dyteoo – more than 100 villages are experiencing water shortages affecting at least 70,000 people, with at least 60 villages adversely affected since early in month.

In the beginning of May, youth from the Pegu Division National League for Democracy (NLD) traveled to affected villages to obtain data on the shortage. With the assistance of social organizations and private businessmen from Pegu city the NLD youth distributed water to some of those in need.

“All people here in Phayargyi Sanpha village are struggling to get fresh water and they cannot focus on other work. They have been waiting for donors to bring them water. You can see how important water is,” a leader of a social assistance organization told Mizzima.

According to private businessmen who are distributing water to these villages, more than 500 vehicles a day are bringing in water from bottling plants or deep wells located some distance away.

On May 10th there were over 80 patients in the Wall Township hospital receiving treatment for severe diarrhea. The diarrhea outbreak is believed linked to the water shortage because people desperate for water have resorted to drinking dirty and unsafe water.

Since May 11th the Pegu Division municipal office has begun to distribute water. The military regime's civil society organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), has also become involved in distributing water, as have the police and army. A police officer from the Pegu No. 2 police station donated two truckloads of water to Thannutpin Township. A police officer did confirm that there have been casualties due to water shortages in Pegu Division.

Villages in the Innma region, including Thelgone Township, are also experiencing water shortages.

Mon State

Water levels in all of the State's lakes have dropped significantly. Water levels in many wells across the Mon State have also dropped. According to social assistance organizations, approximately 50,000 people are severely affected by a lack of drinking water in 60 villages located on the plains of Apaung and Bilueekyunn Townships

Similarly, there is a severe water shortage in over 20 villages located in Mudon Township. Mizzima has also learned that seven quarters in Thaton, eight quarters in Kyaikhto and three quarters in Kyaikmayaw are also experiencing the brunt of the water crisis.

Due to the low level of water in lakes and wells, local villagers and townspeople are forced to increasingly rely on muddy water or equally unsuitable water from buffalo soaking pools for cooking their rice and curry. This has increased their chance of contracting life-threatening water borne illnesses.

“It is very hot this year so lakes are drying up, even the big lakes which normally supply water for farming have dried up and now we have to reuse water from the buffalo soaking pools,” a resident from Apaung told Mizzima.

Private businessmen and social organizations from Apaung town and villages such as Zinkyaik and Kyalchan have transported water pumped from deep water wells and distributed it to villages in need.

“These problems occur in almost all the villages located in the plains of Mon State. If Zinkyait and Kyalchan don’t donate water regularly, this problem will only worsen. Local government officials say they won't donate water because there is no order from higher ups to do so,” an active member of one social organization told Mizzima.

Though state-run newspapers reported yesterday that government authorities were helping to get drinking water to those in need across Burma, however social assistance organizations working in Mon State told Mizzima that so far government authorities have not in fact provided water to anyone in the region.

Rangoon Division

Since the Burmese water festival nearly one month ago, two thirds of the population of the town of Dala in Rangoon Division and 30,000 people from over 20 villages in the surrounding townships have had to endure a severe water shortage.

With no assistance from government authorities, traders and social associations from Dala have filled the gap by bringing donated water to affected villages on a daily basis. The Blood Donation association and other social associations from Rangoon have regularly distributed water to these villages.

A Rangoon resident told Mizzima, “It’s a very bad situation in the surrounding villages and in many quarters of Rangoon. People have been forced to bathe with dirty water from the Rangoon River."

Residents of Dagon Township, Tharkayta Township, Thingangyan Township and Dawbone Township have told Mizzima that they must buy high priced water for their use.

“Water that was once provided by the Rangoon municipal government cannot be distributed regularly. Instead we have to pay between 2,000 to 2,500 kyats (US $2 to $2.50) to buy 'Lotus Pool' water that is brought in by cart," related a resident living in No. 8 Tharkayta Township.

A resident of Rangoon’s Kyautdadar Township told Mizzima, “Here we have to buy a barrel of 50 gallons of water for 5,000 kyats. If we need them to carry it up to the second or third floor the cost will be 6,000 to 7,000 kyats. Now the price of water sounds like that of gold.”

Mizzima has also received reports that in townships surrounding Rangoon thousands of fish have died as a result of fish ponds drying up.

Shan State

Due to the hot and dry weather, over 20 quarters in the city of Kalaw, Southern Shan State, are currently experiencing a shortage of water. At least 5,000 people in 12 quarters of Larshoe city in Northern Shan State and 15 quarters in the city of Taunggyi are also affected. It is reported that local donors and township municipal departments are distributing water on a daily basis to affected quarters.

According to a state run newspaper, township authorities have had to dig deep water wells with locally donated money due to the depletion of existing water supplies.

In Larshoe’s quarter 1, a new well is pumping water at a rate of 1,500 gallons per hour, with wells in quarters 10 and 12 operating at a rate of 1,000 gallons and that in quarter 11 at 2,000 gallons per hour.

Magwe Division

According to the NLD youth wing in Yaynanchaung Township, over 20,000 people from 30 villages in the township have had to buy water for the last two months as lakes have nearly entirely dried up. The NLD youth wing reports it can cost anywhere from 300 to 800 kyats to buy a 50 gallon barrel of water.

A resident of Ownshitgone quarter in Yaynanchaung Township told Mizzima that in his quarter and the neighboring Baymae quarter at least 40 people suffered heat stroke, resulting in at least ten deaths.

Mizzima has also learned that the Maitswekaung Free Funeral Service in Yaynanchaung Township and the Byamazo Free Funeral Service in Minbuu, which typically provide services for a maximum of four funerals a day, are currently conducting more than ten funerals a day owing to increased incidences of heat stroke compounded with a shortage of water.

The Free Funeral Service in Minbuu has also begun to deliver water to six local villages affected by the water shortage.