UNICEF/K-PesaSenior officials from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Dutch Embassy, UNICEF and Jonglei State cut the ribbon to the water plant in Bor Town,
Bor town, 8 November 2025
UNICEF, with generous support from the governments of the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea through KOICA, launched the Bor Urban Water Supply System.
This transformative and durable initiative provides safe, clean, reliable, and affordable drinking water to over 96,000 residents of Bor town, Jonglei State.
This initiative marks a significant milestone in South Sudan’s efforts to achieve long-term, durable solutions, strengthen climate-resilient and sustainable urban water supply systems, and ensure that vulnerable communities have access to safe water supply and improved sanitation services.
The newly inaugurated urban water system includes the construction of a new conventional water treatment plant of 4,800 cubic metres per day capacity, raised above the flood line, equipped water quality laboratory, 28 water kiosks, an expanded to 53km distribution pipe network, a tanker filling station, and a 750-cubic-metre steel storage tank that serves the town’s growing population.
The use of an off-grid solar energy system (240 kWp) reduces operational costs, carbon emissions, and dependency on diesel-powered generators, making it one of the country’s climate-resilient and environmentally friendly public water infrastructure projects in South Sudan to date.
Hon. James Mawich Makuach, Minister, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, said, “I am very grateful on behalf of the Government of South Sudan for the commissioning of the new Bor urban water project, which will go a long way to prevent water-related diseases and improve people’s health in Bor town. I urge all users to pay for the water and the Bor water utility station to manage the system sustainably.”
On his part, the Dutch Ambassador to South Sudan, Paul Tholen, expressed his happiness that the people of Bor now have access to safe drinking water. “In order to sustain this water service delivery, the public should pay their water bills on time, and the authorities should use the revenues to improve the system,” Tholen said.
Access to clean water not only helps prevent waterborne diseases among children and families but also promotes gender equality by reducing the long and often unsafe journeys that women and girls must make to collect water.
The Korean Ambassador, Park Sungsoo said access to clean and safe water is fundamental to children’s health, nutrition, and overall well-being.
“We believe the upgraded Bor Water Supply System represents a transformative step toward ensuring reliable and sustainable water for all, while fostering a healthier and more resilient community. It will not only enhance public health but also restore dignity to women and girls by easing the burden of severe water stress previously experienced in Bor”, Sungsoo said.
“Beyond this project, the Republic of Korea has been contributing to peace and reconstruction efforts in Jonglei State through the Hanbit Unit of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) peacekeeping mission and will continue to support South Sudan across all areas of humanitarian, development, and peace (HDP) assistance,” Sungsoo noted.
Noala Skinner, UNICEF Representative in South Sudan, said access to clean and safe water is not just about meeting basic needs but giving every child the chance to grow up healthy, to learn and thrive.
“The Bor Water Supply System has the potential to transform lives, empower women and girls, and build resilience against climate change. UNICEF is grateful to the partners and donors who have supported this idea from the beginning and who have made this ambitious vision a reality,” Skinner stated.
The Bor Urban Water Supply System represents a durable solution model for sustainable, climate-resilient water management in South Sudan, fostering peacebuilding, improving health outcomes, and promoting socio-economic opportunities through job creation and improved hygiene in schools and communities.
