In Bor, South Sudan's Jonglei state capital, a massive flood in late 2020 left the town on the banks of the Nile River submerged under water for six months. The waters brought disease and scarcity, forcing residents to walk miles for clean drinking water. But thanks to a $5.4m (£4m) project funded by the Netherlands and South Korea, the city has transformed its water supply system.
Nyandong Chang has made the short journey from her home to the town's new water treatment plant nearly every day since it opened last month. While there is still hard work involved, she says that at least the water is now available and clean.
The project overhauled an existing treatment plant into a "climate-resilient" installation, built on raised ground and running on solar power to minimize costs and carbon emissions. This new system has brought jobs for 30 staff, who were trained in areas such as electricians, plumbers, and lab technicians.
For many residents, the benefits of this new water supply system are life-changing. Achol Teresa's house was connected last year, allowing her to harvest three crops of okra - a significant increase from just one crop before.
The taps also mean less work for girls who can now attend classes without having to carry heavy jerrycans filled with water. Students have reported an improvement in attendance and performance since the water arrived.
However, while Bor's residents are thriving, not everyone is as fortunate. According to Unicef, only 40% of South Sudan's population has access to clean drinking water within a 30-minute walk. "Massive investment is required to bring the sector to a basic, acceptable level," said Mulugeta.
Yar Paul Kuol, managing director at SSUWC overseeing five national water treatment plants, considers Bor a model facility due to its low running costs. She says that international aid and funding are increasingly hard to find, making it more important for governments to fund projects like this before relying on donors.
For Ssemabira Steven and Sserwanja Hamza, the new system means they can sell water door-to-door without having to work under pressure. Their business has also seen a decrease in customers since the water supply changed - but they don't mind as it frees up more time for them.
Nyandong Chang has made the short journey from her home to the town's new water treatment plant nearly every day since it opened last month. While there is still hard work involved, she says that at least the water is now available and clean.
The project overhauled an existing treatment plant into a "climate-resilient" installation, built on raised ground and running on solar power to minimize costs and carbon emissions. This new system has brought jobs for 30 staff, who were trained in areas such as electricians, plumbers, and lab technicians.
For many residents, the benefits of this new water supply system are life-changing. Achol Teresa's house was connected last year, allowing her to harvest three crops of okra - a significant increase from just one crop before.
The taps also mean less work for girls who can now attend classes without having to carry heavy jerrycans filled with water. Students have reported an improvement in attendance and performance since the water arrived.
However, while Bor's residents are thriving, not everyone is as fortunate. According to Unicef, only 40% of South Sudan's population has access to clean drinking water within a 30-minute walk. "Massive investment is required to bring the sector to a basic, acceptable level," said Mulugeta.
Yar Paul Kuol, managing director at SSUWC overseeing five national water treatment plants, considers Bor a model facility due to its low running costs. She says that international aid and funding are increasingly hard to find, making it more important for governments to fund projects like this before relying on donors.
For Ssemabira Steven and Sserwanja Hamza, the new system means they can sell water door-to-door without having to work under pressure. Their business has also seen a decrease in customers since the water supply changed - but they don't mind as it frees up more time for them.
. The fact that the new system is solar-powered and climate-resilient is also super cool, you know? It's not just about fixing the immediate problem, but also thinking about the future and how we can reduce our carbon footprint. And it's awesome to see how this project has created jobs for 30 people! 
. That means 60% of people still have to walk miles for water or rely on other sources that might not be safe. It's like, what's being done to address this bigger issue? And I totally agree with Mulugeta that more investment is needed in the sector.
It's crazy to think about all the challenges people face just because of something as basic as water. Anyway, it's great to see that this project is making a difference in Bor and hopefully inspiring other communities to take action too 
! The flood back in 2020 was devastating, but now those people have access to clean drinking water and it's literally changing their lives 
Achol Teresa can grow three crops of okra now? That's insane! And the fact that girls don't have to carry heavy jerrycans to school is just amazing 
I mean, 30 staff jobs created because of this project? That's incredible too! We should be supporting projects like this more, especially in areas where they need it most. Mulugeta's right, we do need massive investment to get the water sector up to par... but seeing all these positive changes is so inspiring 
. However, 40% of South Sudan's population still doesn't have access to clean water... it's just not right 
. We need to keep pushing for more funding and support so everyone can benefit from projects like this 
.
. Can't help but wonder if Bor's success is replicable elsewhere? Would love to see more towns like this across Jonglei state 
. However, it does raise concerns about the overall state of South Sudan's water supply infrastructure - 40% of the population still lacks access to clean drinking water within a reasonable distance, which is unacceptable 
!
. The fact that Bor is now a model facility due to low running costs is mind-blowing! And for people who sell water door-to-door... it's all about the money 
but at least they have more time on their hands 
. Of course, there are still challenges to overcome, but it's clear that this project is a step in the right direction towards providing basic human rights like access to clean drinking water 
. I mean, clean drinking water is basic human rights, so it's awesome that the Netherlands and South Korea are investing in this project. But 40% of South Sudan's population still doesn't have access to clean water? That's just not right, we need more investment in this area 
. And I'm all for the solar power thing, but I hope they're monitoring the carbon emissions closely, don't want any negative environmental impact 
I'm so glad to see Bor getting back on its feet after that devastating flood, and this new water system is a game-changer 
What's good fam? So Bor, South Sudan is like that one aunt who always needs help with her flood problems 
! But seriously, $5.4m from the Netherlands and Korea to fix the water supply system? That's like me dropping a new meme every hour 
!
... not quite 
. But at the same time, its kinda crazy that only 40% of South Sudan's population has access to clean water 
Only 40% of the population has access to clean drinking water? That's just crazy! We should be aiming for 100%, not some paltry 60%. And don't even get me started on how these new water treatment plants are making a difference in people's lives - it's like night and day, literally. 
. The project might not have solved all the problems, but it's definitely a step in the right direction 
. I hope more countries can learn from this example and invest in similar projects to bring clean water to everyone