There are water bodies everywhere, but there is nothing to drink. This is the reality many Cameroonians, especially those in our major cities are facing with the increasing shortage of potable water.

Most taps in private homes and even in the public have gone dry forcing the population to resort to doubtful sources in search of water.

The consequence of which is the sharp rise of water-borne diseases and cost of medical bills. Long queues around a few public taps, with men, women, children holding jerry cans of all sizes from morning to night, is a clear reflection of the seriousness of the situation.

But why can water be everywhere – seas, rivers, streams, springs abound – while many Cameroonians go thirsty.

The Limbe case After the reopening of public taps in recent years, one would have thought that the problem of water scarcity, shortage and insufficiency will be a thing of the past, but the situation is little much the same, especially in the city of Limbe.

The good thing is that, at least presently, residents can freely fetch water from public taps without paying a franc, unlike the case of many years in the 2,000, where many were very careful with their FCFA 25, 50 or 100, as it had a major role to play before one got potable water.

However, this is still the situation in some quarters, and the epileptic flow of water in areas where it is free, is causing much dissatisfaction. Limbe city dwellers are thus grumbling and wondering for how long they are going to continue living with dry taps.

This dissatisfying situation is not felt only by a section of the population, but the whole region.

The Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Fako did take many by surprise, when during the 2014 celebration of the International Labour Day, while responding to the cry of a Trade Union representative on the absence of water in the city said, he also faces the same problem at the official house, where he lives.

Also, during the recent socio-economic tour of South West Governor to Fako division, the government delegate to the Limbe City Council, in his welcome address said water shortage is one of the crucial problems plaguing the city.

It is a fact that, all stakeholders are truly aware of this problem, and the question The SUN asks is, what is being done to salvage the situation?

When The SUN caught up with the regional director of Camerounaise Des Eaux CDE in his office, in a calm and honest manner, he said they are aware there is a problem of water supply in the city, as it is in the region and the nation at large.

Joseph Kenmogne blamed the situation on pipe leakages, which cause the flow and waste of water which would have been consumed by the population. However, he said a lot is being done to timely fix every leakage and called on the population to immediately report leakages to them.

“We take care of water in the town, but we are not the only ones involved in the management of water. The council is the one to put public taps and then see us for connection”.

At the level of the councils, the Secretary General to the Limbe City Council, Charles Nkongho Arrey explained that the issue of water is a very complicated one, because “the best we can offer are stand taps to the various quarters, of which as at now we have about 67 and we are paying regularly.

Unfortunately, not all the taps are flowing, especially in the West Coast zone, where there is serious water problem; we’ve tried working with the people of CAM WATER and it’s a bit difficult with them because they are based in Douala.

However we have even written to them, telling them that they should give us the cost of what it takes to send water to the various neighbourhoods for us to see how we can budget it for each neighbourhood to have water. We have had no reply from them, since we started writing in 2010. So we don’t know exactly what the problem is”.

The SG continued stating that, “Last year the government sent money ahead of the reunification celebration so that water networks in Limbe should be expanded, we saw roads being dug, we saw pipes being laid, but there is still no water in those areas where those pipes were laid and roads dug”.

Also, he went on to say that, “At one time, we went to Camerounaise des Eaux, for them to give us the total number of public taps in the city, but their idea was to encourage people to get water in their homes, instead of councils paying for public taps for the population. But even then, this was not very easy because if the line was not along somebody’s area, the person could not get connected”.

While noting that the City Council has and is still doing its best to ensure adequate water supply within the city, Charles Nkongho said “Limbe is the only town which pays bills for public stand taps at the rate at which we are paying, most towns have stopped the payment, but we maintain it because we think that everyone has a right to get potable water”.

Local management With the very difficult present situation, some quarters and villages have resorted to developing their own water, as a solution to the problem. Thus, through the help of the Limbe I council, FEICOM has sponsored a water project in Bonadikombo Mile 4, aimed at increasing the volume of water to support the community water initiative, in order to match the increasing population.

The project, according to Motutu Njie Peter, Chairman of Mile 4 water management committee, has been successfully done. He says due to this project, about 99% of those who depend on this water enjoy daily supply with little or no cuts. Motutu Njie says majority of those who use to rely on the State or privatised companies for water supply, are now turning to the community water.

“After paying a certain amount to get homes connected, there is only a yearly levy which is maintenance fee of FCFA 7,500 per home. Those who carry from public taps pay FCFA 3500 if married, while singles pay FCFA 1,500. Also, there is proper maintenance of breakdowns for efficient supply of the water” he said.

According to the mayor of the Limbe II council, Duncan Molindo, they are doing their best to ensure that water is efficiently supplied within the municipality. While talking to The SUN, he cited a number of water projects which the Limbe II council has been engaged in, through loans from FEICOM, ADB and also state grant.

However, for a quarter like Mabeta new-lay-out in the Limbe I municipality for example, where the public tap is still to be re-opened, inhabitants have resorted to the digging of wells, as a major solution to their problem.

According to an inhabitant who spoke to The SUN by name Adeline, even the community water is also very epileptic, and they have decided to have a well in the compound, which is clean and can be used for household chores, while they worry only for that to drink.

This idea is constantly being embraced by a majority of the inhabitants, and since there is no single public tap in the entire quarter, the inhabitants do get up as early as 4 am to fetch water from the community tap, or buy from an individual who has transformed a spring in his compound to a tap, which is now their major source of drinkable water.

The Senior Councillors of the Limbe City Council, in adopting the 2015 action plan for the municipality, have adopted more than FCFA 100 million, to maintain existing installations of water and install more stand taps within the municipality. This is aimed at providing constant flow of potable water to the population. But how far this will go to bring the urgent needed solution is the question.

As stakeholders and the population continue to struggle for portable water, one only imagines where the problem of insufficient flow actually lies?