Taps run dry in sprawling suburb of Mauritania's capital

Nouakchott: Khadidjatou Taher has lived for a decade in her ramshackle neighbourhood on the far outskirts of Mauritania s capital, but is yet to have...

Nouakchott: Khadidjatou Taher has lived for a decade in her ramshackle neighbourhood on the far outskirts of Mauritania's capital, but is yet to have running water in her home.

Created around 15 years ago to tackle uncontrolled building in Nouakchott, the Tarhil district is one of many areas in the vast desert state in northwest Africa where water access poses a daily challenge.

"There's a terrible lack of water in Tarhil," said 42-year-old Taher, wearing a long traditional robe known as a meulfeu.

Authorities have installed a few tanks in the streets and set up a replacement system with water tankers.

But "they don't come every day and the quantities distributed are insufficient for our families and our animals", she said.