Taiz Water Supply: Houthi Siege Forces Rationing

Hadil al-Shahid used to use ten liters of bottled water every day for her family of three. Now, that same amount lasts four days. Al-Shahid, a hair salon owner in Taiz, stopped brewing coffee and tea to save the liquid. She said by phone that the change was necessary as supplies dwindled. Her ten-year-old daughter and five-year-old son now eat mostly rice, bread, and cheese. Her salon is closed because customers prioritize food and water over grooming.

The scarcity in Taiz has reached crisis levels in recent weeks, according to humanitarian organizations. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have besieged the city, which is Yemen's third-largest. Access to local wells is restricted. Desalination plants are running low on fuel. Water trucks are largely blocked from entering the city. Aid groups report that the needs of Taiz's more than one million residents are barely being met.

Prices for essential goods have risen sharply. Bottled water costs up to 75% more than it did a few weeks ago. Some households are buying water on credit. Cooking gas prices have more than quadrupled, according to Hani Bafaqih of the aid group CARE. Flour and rice cost about 50% more than they did in the summer. Families that cannot afford gas are burning wood, charcoal, or cardboard for heat and cooking.

The siege began to tighten after the Houthis captured the port city of Mokha last month. Mokha is about 130 kilometers away and is vital for controlling Red Sea shipping. As the rebels took more land and roads around Taiz, residents lost access to nearby wells. Truckers who still make the dangerous trip have tripled their rates in some cases. The water utility and desalination plants operate well below capacity as fuel runs down.

The population of Taiz province has grown due to displacement. The province has absorbed roughly half of the people displaced elsewhere in Yemen since August. United Nations migration experts estimate this number at 124,000. Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for a UN emergency aid division, said some displaced families live in makeshift shelters. They survive on one meal a day. Laerke warned that disease, including cholera, becomes more likely as families use unprotected wells.

The conflict has been escalating since 2014, when the Houthis took much of the north. Taiz has been a focal point of the fighting since then. Damage to aging water infrastructure, population growth, and frequent droughts had already depleted groundwater. Residents relied on water delivered by truck until recently. The government still holds the center of Taiz, but the siege complicates resupplying its forces.

Houthi officials said the group controls about 80% of the surrounding countryside and several neighborhoods inside the city. Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba has acknowledged the rebels' tightening grip. Analysts say controlling Taiz is key if the Houthis want to push south toward Aden and Lahj. Ahmed Nagi of the International Crisis Group said any attempt to seize parts of the city would likely mean a prolonged and costly battle.

Civilians face daily dangers. Houthi missiles hit a residential area in Taiz earlier this week, killing two teenage girls. Ahmed Abdel Gaber, who is displaced with nine relatives, said he hears explosions daily from fighting about five kilometers away. He said his income from hauling construction material is no longer steady. His family relies on assistance and donations for food. Al-Shahid said she cannot afford to leave. She stated that staying in their home is inevitable, whether it is a matter of life or death.