Water is running out in the Malagasy capital Antananarivo at the end of the year: standpipes are cut off for several hours or suffer from low flow. Tensions on the distribution network are usual, but the public water and electricity distribution company Jirama recognizes disruptions “ worrying » in recent days in more than fifteen neighborhoods, notably in Andavamamba, in the lower part of the city.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Pauline Le Troquier
The trickle of water flowing from this public tap provides water to 1,000 homes in the neighborhood. All day long, residents stream in continuously, yellow cans in hand, afraid of not filling them.
“ On Tuesday, the water flow was very low, then there was a cutoff for a whole hour, and from 4 p.m., nothing, exclaims Mami, head of the users’ association of this fountain. This has created altercations between certain users and the fountain manager, because she is obliged to ration water for each family. »
Only one can per family after 4 p.m., when the flow becomes low. Before, explains Vola Lalah, fountain keeper, all the neighborhood is suspended from the operation of the fountain : “ Normally, I start my day at 5 a.m. But right now, I start at 2 a.m. It can take 20 minutes to fill a container. Usually – I timed it – we fill 20 whole cans in just 12 minutes! »
Rakotoarimanana is a former head of the fokontany, the neighborhood authority. He has lived here for 60 years. He hopes see running water in every home in 2024 : “ This fountain was already there 30 years ago. But the neighborhood’s population has increased significantly, as has demand. All life revolves around water here. »
Contacted by RFI, Jirama attributes these tensions to work in one of its main stations, in Mandroseza and water scarcitylack of rain.
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