ADEN* Aug* 23 ? Hundreds of Aden city residents protested yesterday* demanding relief from the sharp water shortage that has left three districts without water.Seventy-five percent of the Aden water supply was re-directed to cities of Zunjubar and Ja?ar three months ago because of water crises in those cities. Now* residents of Al-Muala* Khower Makser and Alqlw'a have no running water. Masses of people from the southern governorates of Aden* Lahj and Abyan rallied last week* demanding water and that corrupt officials be held accountable for their actions.Security officials met demonstrators with teargas and arrests.Deputy Director General of the Aden Water Corporation Saeed H. Qassem has warned of what he called ?an unusual situation that may deeply harm citizens*? in reference to the water crisis that is devastating the coastal city. ?We have always raised the matter of random well digging*? he said* ?but no one would listen and the result is the present situation in Aden.? ?The problem will not be solved unless random digging is stopped*? he told the Yemen Times. In Aden* the smallest governorate of Yemen* the water supply depends entirely on groundwater. As rainfall in Aden is the lowest in Yemen* according to governmental statistics* and the hot climate quickly evaporates any rain that does fall on its lands* this precious source of water is not recharged at the same rate that it is exploited. According to Qassem desalination could be solution for the Aden?s water shortage* but it would be expensive for consumers. Water comes to Aden from three different aquifers: Bir Nasser with 37 wells* Bir Ahmed with 36 wells and Al-Rawa with 15 wells. The need for water has recently jumped in Aden due to the rapid increase in population and industry. The private unregulated drilling of wells in the locations of water production aquifers is still a challenge for water management.Qassem added that Aden no longer receives water during daylight hours. The city used to get 1*400 meters squared of water a day* he said. ?The water supply is re-directed between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. to Zunjubar and Ja?ar to meet water shortage there. Aden then receives only 350 meters squared from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.*? he explained. He said that the corporation has all required financial* technical and human resources* ?but the problem is in the water source."Qassem made these statements two weeks after inaugurating new water lines for four districts in Aden* which cost YR 1.1 billion. However* locals say they did not notice any improvement.The water corporation said that the drop in underground water level in all fields has resulted in this suffocating crisis. It attributed the problem to the random wells. Three thousand were dug this year- 50 percent more than last year.The corporation stated in its 2008 report that the solution requires ?a presidential decree? to curb the wrongful waste of water. The crisis began in 2004 when 19 wells completely dried due to misuse of water and haphazard digging of wells. ?We were shocked*? said Qassem ?to find out that Abyan and Bir Nasser fields have dried. The latter with its 22 wells used to provide Aden with 30 percent of its water needs.?He expressed doubt about the corporation's ability to solve the problem. He said that they could meet up to 80 percent of the water needs* provided that unsystematic well digging does not expand to Al-Munasara District field that has been discovered recently and has 15 wells.?Water and electricity are essential to people?s life and the government should assume its responsibilities concerning this issue*? Qassem said....

المزيد...