Over K35 million (US$26,157) will be spent to ensure potable water supply for 72 villages in 13 townships in Mandalay Region during the coming summer months, the chief of the regional Rural Development Department said.
“We have collected data on villages that face water shortages this summer,” U Min Han, the department’s director, said on Monday.
For transporting water, we will use fuel allocated for each township,” he added.
The department plans to start supplying water in these areas in March, said U Min Han.
He added that the costs are being calculated based on water tank truck rental and fuel usage.
Mandalay is in the dry zone of central Myanmar and faces water crises every April, May and June.
“It is hard to get access to underground water, so even though we drill to 500ft deep, the water doesn’t taste good for drinking,” said regional parliament member U Wanna Aung.
Helping rural areas get access to water is one of the first priorities of the regional government’s development projects,” he added.
With the help of social welfare organisations, drinking water would be transported to the villages.
In 2017, the Rural Development Department provided drinking water for 98 villages in 15 townships that faced water shortages during the summer months.