The erratic water supply has been disrupting lives across the country. In Wangdue Phodrang’s Thedtsho Gewog, residents of two chiwogs in Rinchengang are facing a severe drinking water shortage. The community has yet to reap the benefits despite completing a new water supply under the water flagship programme last year. Currently, people rely on their old water sources, which are inadequate.
12-year-old Kinley Wangmo and her friends are waiting by the tap for water. As their school resumed after summer vacation, they came to take a bath only to find the tap dry.
“I came here the day before but there was no water. I came yesterday and today, but still no water. We need to bathe and wash our clothes but the tap is dry. We will start to stink from all the sweat if we do not have access to continuous water.”
With no other option, Kinley Wangmo and her friends fetch water from a nearby spring water, believed to be holy.
They come here to fetch drinking water and bathe and wash their clothes whenever the tap runs dry. Locals are worried that this holy water might dry up due to overuse.
“It wouldn’t be harmful if we only washed our faces and heads here, but some women are washing their menstrual clothes. We remind them when we see it happening but people often wash them without us noticing. This makes us worry that the spring might dry up,” said Dorji, resident, Rinchengang Toed.
A new water supply system was constructed in late 2020 under the water flagship programme to supply drinking water from the Chhuserbu stream in Nahi Gewog with financial support from the government.
The construction was completed in March 2023. However, over a year later, the supply failed to benefit the people. Due to complications from the people, the initial water supply work had to be realigned for about two kilometres from the original survey plan.
The realignment was completed and water began to flow again. However, Gewog Mangmi said that on Friday, heavy leaks occurred in five different places along the pipes, likely due to the full discharge of water.
This has once again caused a water shortage in the community. Currently, water is being supplied on schedule from the reservoir after storing it from the old sources.
“It is extremely difficult without water. Our children have to go to school soon but there’s no water for bathing or washing clothes. We don’t even have water in our toilets, so our children have to go outside to use the bathroom,” said Lungten, a resident of Rinchengang Maed.
“We do not harvest rainwater. But we store water in various containers whenever it’s available,” said Dorji, another resident.
“I close the water reservoir by 4:30 pm and release the water the next morning at 5:30 if we have work. Otherwise, I open the tank at 6 am if there’s no work in the community. Still, the water isn’t sufficient for our needs. Even the new water supply isn’t enough,” said Migmar, a water caretaker at Rinchengang Toed.
The Gewog Mangmi said the water supply is currently in the testing period. Rectification of the water pipes is underway and is expected to be completed soon.
“I just spoke with the contractor over the phone and requested him to expedite the work. He told me that they would try to complete the rectification work and start water discharge within five to seven days. So, I am confident that water will reach the community within seven days from today,” said Sangay Penjor, Thedtsho Mangmi.
The mangmi added that once the new water supply reaches their area, people will have access to drinking water 24 hours a day. Three new additional reservoirs have been constructed to store and distribute water.
More than 130 households rely on the water supply.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
Edited by Sonam Pem
