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Mugareti Village without Drinking Water

November 11, 2008
Gulo Kokhodze, Akhaltsikhe

Those living in Mugareti, Akhaltsikhe district are forced to obtain their supply of drinking from a nearby stream. However, this stream dries out in winter and this creates a water shortage.  The villagers are forced to bring drinking water from the neighboring village in freezing weather in winter. The local government does not have the means or resources to solve the problem. The government now relies on NGOs and hope that they can better address the problem.

The problem of drinking water is nothing new in the village of 130 families. The majority of time spent in the village involves fetching drinking water. The Tedore Stream is in the village center, and there is always a long line seen at the stream throughout the day. The villagers stand with buckets and all kinds of containers to collect and store water.

“The water is salty and is not even filtered. There are water borne parasites and other unhealthy materials in the water, which includes worms.  No one cares about our problems,” says Murman Lomidze, a local of Mugareti.

“When it rains, the water becomes muddy and we have no choice but have to drink this muddy water. There is no other option, “says Dali Lomidze.

The Lomidze family consists of 8 household members. 200 liters of water is not enough for the family per day as there are children in the family. Much laundry is generated each and every day.  Moreover, the house needs cleaning every day and that too takes water. We start out collecting water at dawn and the collection process continues till sundown.”

The Mugaretians know that the stream will freeze in a month and they will not have water in their village till the end of March. They try to store what they can but it still is not enough, as so much water is needed.

“We transport water by car, horses, and donkeys and if it is snowing we even use sleds, “states Iveri Gogoladze. There is joke in the village that those who are married need more water so the young men of the village will put off getting married.

The locals say that there is an old well located two kilometers away from the village. Some fetch water from this well.

“The well was made at the beginning of 20th century. It is partially destroyed. In winter we melt snow and use it to clean laundry, that is if it snows of course,” states Madona Lomidze.

The irrigation system does not function in Mugareti village.

“While watering crops the small stream becomes even smaller and there is always a big fight for each drop of water. People naturally become frustrated and in the families where there are no men, the women are ones that bear the most responsibility in this situation,” states Dali Lomidze.

Bidzina Maisuradze, Deputy Head of Akhaltsikhe District states that the local government has already presented four main requirements to the central government. In particular, the Akhaltsikhe District government requested the central government to help solve the following problems, including rehabilitation of main roads, streets, and water supply and irrigation systems.

“The rehabilitation of water piping system in Akhaltsikhe district villages was not included in the proposal. We could not have included all rehabilitation requests in one project. Besides, the state budget is not so big to cover all requirements. The August events put the government in front of new, big challenges,” states Bidzina Maisuradze.

He said if an NGO decides to write up a project proposal on rehabilitating Mugareti’s water supply rehabilitation the district government will co-fund the project.


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