A serious water problem has hit some parts of Chief Chikuwe in Chipata district.
Headman Kandende, Magodi Phiri has told Breeze News that women are forced to wake up as early as 04 hours to fetch for water.
The headman says that since 2014, people in the area have faced serious problems in accessing safe drinking water but government has not assisted.
He explained that villagers in Kandende, Katuwa and Mutarenje are forced to give each other turns in drawing water from two wells which usually dry up.
Headman Kandende says that each household is restricted to a 20 litre of water in three days, a situation which forces people to draw water from streams where animals also drink from.
The traditional leader has appealed to government to assist address the matter, stating that MPs and councillors have been making unfulfilled promises.