Energy · Libreville taps run dry · ArchiveGabon Declares Emergency as Libreville Taps Run DryAired August 7, 2026 at 11:34 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00Gabon has declared a state of emergency0:01after taps ran dry across its capital0:04Libreville, where France [music] 240:05reports the city has grappled with a0:07water shortage for several months.0:09France 24 reports the emergency0:11declaration follows several months0:12[music] without reliable supply in the0:13capital, where low rainfall and failing0:16pipes have left taps dry. France 240:19reports [music] the shortage is fueled0:20by low rainfall, failing pipes, and0:22increased demand.0:24The network adds the government is yet0:26to replace aging [music] pipes and0:27repair water treatment facilities, which0:29enormously contributes to the shortage0:31while the growing population continues0:33to suffer. The emergency response has0:35already broken [music] down.0:37France 24 reports the water distribution0:39company was tasked to arrange tanker0:41trucks for affected neighborhoods, but0:42this never happened, and a distribution0:45plan using tanker trucks has failed0:46[music] after private distributors got0:48involved. Those private companies are0:50now demanding users pay higher for the0:51[music] service. France 24 also reports0:54the government failed to fulfill0:55promises made a couple of months ago to0:58ensure local populations have potable1:00water in their homes. [music] In one1:01Libreville neighborhood, France 241:04reports, people spend countless hours1:06waiting for the slightest [music]1:07trickle from a broken leaking main that1:08is available only for 30 minutes a day.1:10That half-hour window is the only supply1:12many households can access [music] after1:14waiting for hours.1:21>> [music]1:22>> In another neighborhood, residents told1:24France 24 they are stuck with untreated1:27water, using it only to wash and clean1:29while buying bottled mineral water to1:31drink. That daily scramble for untreated1:34or briefly available supply collides1:36with a longer timeline. A Libreville1:38resident told [music] France 24 they1:40have been dealing with a water shortage1:41for 14 years, far beyond the several1:44months cited as the immediate crisis1:45that [music] triggered the emergency1:47declaration. What remains unresolved is1:49whether the emergency declaration will1:51produce the repairs France 24 [music]1:53says are still pending, replacement of1:55aging pipes and restoration [music] of1:57treatment facilities, or leave residents1:59continuing to pay private distributors2:01for limited untreated supply.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗