Congo: Where water is bad for your health

For the residents of many Brazzaville neighbourhoods, the water is simply unfit to drink, which makes the provision of water, a task usually undertaken by women, a time-consuming chore.

"It's a frequent problem. Sometimes we go a full week without running water here and even when it is available it tends to be between midnight and 3am," says Simplicite Itoua, from a district of Brazzaville known as Mikalou à Talangai in the sixth arrondissement.

Most families have had to acquire several jerry cans to build up reserves when good water does become available, she said.

Elsewhere in the city there is not a drop of running drinking water to be had day or night.

“It's tough, there just isn't any drinking water at all," says Martin Nguila, who lives in the Nkombo district on the outskirts of the city.

“We travel considerable distances to keep up our stocks. For those with transport it's not so bad, but worse for those who not only have to pay for public transport but for the water too," he said.

The problem is aggravated by the struggle to make ends meet due to rampant price increases.

"I spend 1,000 to 1,500 FCFA [US$2-$3] every day just for water. Add that to what we already spend to put a bit of food on the table and the situation is becoming intolerable," said Robert Nguie, a teacher at a private school at Mikalou, in the 6th arrondissement.

"Because of these conditions we eat poorly and are exposed to sickness," he said.

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