Residents of Otjitho Village in the Ruacana Constituency are facing a severe water shortage after their underground water supply dried up.

The situation has forced some residents to spend nights at the water point to get water when it becomes available.

Around the water source, one sees ashes of fireplaces that the residents make to keep warm at night when they overnight here.

Those who are unable to camp for water or could not secure a bucket because of crowding could go up to three days without it.

The struggle for water at Otjitho Village has been ongoing since the last rainy season, with the local water point now serving both the community and people from neighbouring Angola.

The Deputy Headman of Otjitho Village, Immanuel Sam, says the current water source cannot meet the community's needs.

"We, the residents of Otjitho, have a water crisis. We are struggling to survive. It only gets easier during the rainy season, but within six months, we go back to living without water. The community tries to dig earth dams, but these dams cannot sustain us all. Sometimes, more than 200 people wait here for the water to gather so that they can fetch it."

Sam adds that residents sometimes fight over access to water, prompting the community to seek the councillor's intervention. 

This led to a meeting with Ruacana Constituency Councillor Fabianus Paulus on Tuesday to discuss possible solutions.

The councillor says the water shortage requires an urgent intervention.

"I came to meet them so that they could decide whether we should go ahead with the earth dam they proposed when they called me or use that money to pay NamWater to establish a clean water point and install pipes to bring water here. The earth dam can then wait for another budget, which, to me, is an easier and faster way for these people to get water."

The councillor says he will submit the proposal to the Regional Council to address the water crisis.