South Sudan: Climate Floods and Oil Pollution Create Water Crisis and Health Fears

In South Sudan’s grasslands, herders drawing cloudy water from a small pond are conscious of the risks associated with consuming it. Their chief, Chilhok Puot, states, “The water is dirty because this place has oil – it has chemicals in it.” Nyatabah, a woman from this cattle-rearing community located amidst Unity State’s oil fields, further explains, “If you drink it, it makes you pant and cough.” She adds, “We know it’s bad water, but we don’t have anywhere else, we’re dying of thirst.” David Bojo Leju, a former oil engineer, informed the BBC World service that regional flooding is introducing contaminants into water supplies. Extensive areas of the state have been submerged for multiple years following unparalleled flooding, which scientists attribute to exacerbation by climate change. Mr. Bojo Leju characterizes the floods as a “disaster” and describes pollution originating from poorly managed oil facilities as a “silent killer” that is disseminating throughout the state. South Sudan, the world’s newest and one of its most impoverished nations, relies heavily on oil revenue for its government. Unity State, a significant oil-producing region, has historically faced seasonal flooding. However, in 2019, severe rainfall resulted in a deluge that inundated villages, grasslands, and forests. Subsequent years saw continuous intense rainfall, leading to water accumulation, which became trapped on