Imagine one day, the water taps(水龙头) in your house stop running. You have to buy water from shops. And still there isn't enough for everyone. Your mother has to save the family's shower water to do other things. Would you be able to stand that kind of life?
Probably not. But that's what kids in Yemen are experiencing. Experts said Yemen is going to be the first country in the world to run out of water. According to a report, the capital, Sana, will run out of drinking water as early as 2025.
Because of theshortage, the government often cuts the water supply(供应). Hannan, an 18-year-old girl from Lahej,told the Times, "In a good week we'll have a water supply all week. But then the following week there will be water only for a day or two.
Hannan said only rich people have enough water to use. They can buy water from the shops or from the water trucks. Private companies own the trucks. They travel around the city every day to sell water-at very high prices. "A lot of people can't afford it," she said.
The average(平均) person in Yemen uses 100 to 200 cubic(立方) metres of water per year. That is far below the international water poverty(贫困) line of 1,000 cubic metres.
The government is thinking of making use of seawater. But it will cost a lot and it may not happen soon enough to help the people of Yemen.