In brief
In Port Sudan, residents like Amina Khalafallah are spending every month’s salary on water obtained from expensive street vendors, as the city’s piped supply falls well below 40% of demand. The collapse of the Arbaat Dam and the influx of displaced people have strained a fragile system, threatening public health in a war‑torn Sudan.
Residents of Port Sudan’s Deim Mayo neighbourhood report that water has become a monthly budget nightmare; Amina Khalafallah, who works at a cafeteria, spends her entire 10,000‑pound salary each month on water bought from street vendors. The city’s piped supply meets less than 40 percent of demand, according to an African Development Bank assessment, a situation made worse by the recent collapse of the Arbaat Dam and the influx of displaced people.
South African water vendors charge 1,000 pounds for 18 litres, pushing sparse city supplies into a market economy where families must make hard choices. Khalafallah said, "We set aside money for water in the summer before covering our other household needs, even if that means going without some essentials." She added that she often must borrow to keep the supply for a month.
We make sure to set aside money for water in the summer before covering our other household needs, even if that means going without some essentials.
She stressed that the additional cost is reflective of a broader trend, citing the United Nations Development Programme’s observation that the ongoing three‑year war has pushed average incomes back to levels seen in the early 1990s.
With the city’s water system still under repair, shortages continue to undermine public health. The African Development Bank has flagged safe water access as Sudan’s most urgent need, warning that millions of children risk water‑borne diseases. The Arbaat Dam, once a source for half of Port Sudan’s daily need, collapsed in August 2024 after heavy rain, destroying downstream villages and damaging pipelines.
