The capital of Sierra Leone has been hit by one of the worst water shortages in four decades, according to the country's water supply authority. The state-run Guma Valley water company announced in a statement obtained by AFP Wednesay that there was only six feet (1.8 metres) of water in the Guma Valley river reservoir built 100-feet (31 metres) deep, the lowest level it has reached in 39 years.
It warned that without significant rainfall in the next 15 to 20 days the country would be plunged into serious difficulties.
"It is the first time since the dam was built in 1967 that this has happened," said government senior water engineer Thomas Williams.
The company said water inflow into the dam had dropped drastically for June to just 9.6 inches (24 centimetres), compared to 29.3 inches (74 cm) recorded during the same period last year.
The dam, located 10 miles (16 kilometres) west of the capital, was originally designed to serve 300,000 residents "but is now providing water to more than one million", it said.
The company also attributed the current water crisis to deforestation around the dam area.
In a bid to stretch the little avialable water, Williams said a water rationing system had been introduced on alternate days.
The water shortage has raised fears of a cholera outbreak.
Non-governmental organisations said they were monitoring the situation closely.
"UNICEF will be closely following up on this situation (water shortage) and provide the ministry of energy and power with any assistance to alleviate this water situation," UNICEF representative Geert Capeleare said.
"We would also support communities in Freetown to dig wells," said Capeleare.
Action Contre la Faim (CAF), a Paris-based NGO operating in Sierra Leone, said an emergency response plan had been put on alert in case of a cholera outbreak.
"We are following things, namely for the poorest areas, located in the eastern part of Freetown.
"We are also are involved into the cholera task force that is currently on pre-alert phase, to prepare a rapid response in case of outbreak of cholera in Freetown," Beatrice Godefroy, head of ACF, told AFP.
Information Minister Professor Septimus Kaikai told local UN radio the government would buy water tanker to distribute water to the worst-affected areas.
Meanwhile, prices for commercial drinking water have risen radically. Imported mineral water has doubled in price, while water packed locally in satchels has trebled and is becoming scarce, and consumers in the west African capital have complained that its quality has deteriorated.
For company secretary Henrietta John, "Man can live without food for days but not water."
A taxi driver, Morlai Sillah, suggested: "Sack all the officials for their negligence and even jail them."
Many others feel like Alimamy Conteh, a messenger, who declared: "Unless the government gives us clean and safe water, it will not get my vote in next year's election."
Religion has been called to the service of the Freetown community. A Muslim cleric, Alhaji Sulaiman, has called a prayer for rain this Friday. "God is vexed with Sierra Leone," he said.
Source: Agence France-Presse
