WASH in Aweil

This data and analysis are based on the Community-based Assessment of Reintegration and Absorption Capacity in Northern Bahr el Ghazal (NBeG), South Sudan (December 2024). The assessment examines the integration status of displaced and returned households living in NBeG, Aweil Central, North, West and East counties, and evaluates the area’s capacity to welcome additional arrivals.

The growing population places a significant strain on the water infrastructure. Without significant rehabilitation and expansion, the current system is unlikely to meet the growing demand.

The analysis of 196 water points in NBeG highlights a heavy reliance on borehole hand pumps, which constitute 80% of all water sources. The primary challenge facing water points in the area is a lack of maintenance, reported by a third of water points. Water quality is generally fair, but long wait times—often exceeding one hour—are common, particularly in high-density areas. Rural and underserved payams, such as Nyalath, face the greatest challenges, with limited water points forcing residents to rely on unsafe or distant alternatives.

The assessment of water infrastructure utilized Sphere Standards to evaluate the current carrying capacity and the ability to absorb additional populations – as there are no national standards. Service capacity thresholds for different water point types were defined as follows:

Water infrastructure is at near-maximum capacity, with systems already struggling to meet current survival-level needs (2.5L per person/day). Although 25 non-functional water points could be refurbished to alleviate some pressure, this alone will not close the existing gap.

Based on quality scoring metrics, water facilities scored 87 out of 100 in Northern Bahr el Ghazl, given aggregated scores on several indicators. The relatively high quality suggests that, while there is room for improvement, sufficiency of the current water network is more of an obstacle than quality within this location. Supplementing this finding, our quality analysis found Northern Bahr el Ghazl scored most poorly on wait times, which would likely be addressed by additional water points. 

Enhanced access to water: Insufficient water infrastructure in NBeG leads to long queues and disputes for hosts and returnees. Expanding infrastructure with new boreholes in areas like Wedweil West and Apada is essential. To meet full water needs across the region (15L per person per day) would require 614 new water points, while operating at a strained capacity (4.5L per person per day) would need adding 60 new points– which could partially be achieved by refurbishing the 25 defunct water points. 

Other important interventions from development actors would include engaging with and supporting local water management committees to ensure that boreholes are regularly maintained and do not fall into disrepair.