1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,400
You're watching UNICEF Television.

2
00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,280
Delivering safe water to Baghdad's most deprived communities.

3
00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:12,760
A vital service now in jeopardy.

4
00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:17,620
For the last three years in this run-down neighbourhood of Sadr city, a UNICEF-supported

5
00:00:17,620 --> 00:00:23,360
water tanker truck has been going house to house, providing a lifeline to destitute families

6
00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,720
coping with the country's chronic shortage of drinking water.

7
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:34,560
We live on these water distributions which come roughly about every 15 days.

8
00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:42,040
And the allocated water we do get is not really enough for our families.

9
00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:47,040
Most Iraqis depend on municipal water systems which are hardly functioning after years of

10
00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,380
sanctions and war.

11
00:00:49,380 --> 00:00:52,760
Water pipes are often cracked, corroded and leaking.

12
00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:58,780
In the worst cases, damaged water networks become conduits of dangerous waterborne diseases,

13
00:00:58,780 --> 00:01:01,340
putting children in particular at risk.

14
00:01:01,340 --> 00:01:07,900
Diarrhoea is already the second highest single cause of child illness and death in Iraq.

15
00:01:07,900 --> 00:01:14,100
Although costly, water tankering in Iraq represents an essential short-term solution to overcome

16
00:01:14,100 --> 00:01:22,100
water shortages.

17
00:01:22,100 --> 00:01:27,520
The most important thing that we suffer from here is the lack of water.

18
00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:31,080
From time to time, the UNICEF truck comes.

19
00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,080
Last time was about 15 days ago.

20
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:41,160
When they're not giving us the water, we're dying of thirst.

21
00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:46,200
Sadly, what this man fears could come true.

22
00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:51,040
As of now, water tankering services that help tens of thousands of people in Baghdad each

23
00:01:51,100 --> 00:01:58,020
day have had to be suspended because of insufficient funding and a lack of security.

24
00:01:58,020 --> 00:02:04,340
As the world marks World Water Day, this year's theme, coping with water scarcity, has a special

25
00:02:04,340 --> 00:02:07,900
resonance here.

26
00:02:07,900 --> 00:02:11,260
This is Sabine Dolan reporting for UNICEF Television.

27
00:02:11,260 --> 00:02:12,740
Unite for Children.