Water Worries: “As soon as we wake up, we think about how we will get water.”

Water scarcity in Myanmar is rising due to climate change. In Htoke Kaw Koe Village in Karen State the wells traditionally used for water supply are drying up. A new gravity-flow water system, supported by Community Partners International (CPI), is helping to ensure access to essential water for this and five other villages.

“Despite having many wells, only a few have water.”

“In recent years, we’ve experienced water scarcity during the dry season,” explains Naw Sal, 34, who lives in Htoke Kaw Koe Village with her husband and three children. A lifelong village resident, she and her husband raise livestock, including cows, goats, and chickens, to make a living.

“Despite having many wells, only a few have water,” continues Naw Sal. “During summer, we walk to those few wells or a stream three miles away to get water, carrying gallon buckets back home. As soon as we wake up, we think about how we will get water.”

As part of wider efforts to combat water scarcity in Myanmar, CPI partnered with a community organization to survey communities in four townships in Karen (Kayin) State to identify and prioritize water needs. Htoke Kaw Koe Village was one of the locations identified as urgently needing assistance. In November 2023, the partner began constructing a gravity-flow water system serving a cluster of six villages, including Htoke Kaw Koe.

“We proposed several infrastructure solutions to solve this problem,” explains water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) project officer Saw Soe*. “The community picked the gravity flow system because it was the easiest to manage and maintain.”

“The improvement in water access has truly transformed life for our entire family and the village”

Saw Kler*, a Htoke Kaw Koe Village water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) committee member, explains how the system works. “We use a stream about three miles away as the primary water source,” he confirms. “Using a network of pipes, we channel the water into a concrete collection tank close to the village. Villagers can then connect a pipe from their house directly to the tank or collect water from it by hand.”

The water system took three months to build, and water started flowing through its pipes in February 2024. Today, 500 households in Htoke Kaw Koe and five other villages benefit from the reliable water supply for drinking, food preparation, personal hygiene and washing, home gardening, and livestock care.

“Regular maintenance is crucial to maintaining the gravity flow system’s performance,” confirms Saw Kler. “This includes cleaning the reservoirs and inspecting the pipeline regularly to detect and address any issues. We plan to train the WASH committee to ensure the system’s sustainability. We monitor the system once a week along its route and have provided the villages with funds to fix issues.”

The water system has brought profound changes for Naw Sal and her family. “The improvement in water access has truly transformed life for our entire family and the village,” she reveals. “The convenience of accessing water at home saves time and spares us from exhaustion. I feel very satisfied now. During the hot summer weather, my children want to bathe frequently. With the gravity flow system providing a reliable water supply, that’s now possible.”

Along efforts to combat water scarcity in Myanmar, CPI is also helping Rohingya refugees from Myanmar sheltering in Bangladesh to access adequate supplies of safe water.

*Name changed to protect privacy