Polluted floodwaters and oil spills endanger South Sudan’s water sources

Flooding in South Sudan’s Unity State is pushing toxic runoff from oil facilities into vital water supplies, creating a dire health crisis for communities.

Maura Ajak and Stephanie Stafford report for BBC.

In short:

• Floods in Unity State, intensified by climate change, have spread toxic pollution from nearby oil fields into local water sources, used by residents for drinking and livestock.
• Community members report health issues and birth defects among humans and livestock, which they attribute to contamination from poorly managed oil spills and toxic water.
• Despite concerns raised for over a decade, systematic data collection on the health impact is lacking and government action on pollution control has been slow.

Key quote:

“The water is dirty because this place has oil—it has chemicals in it.”

— Chilhok Puot, community chief

Why this matters:

The health impacts of oil pollution, combined with worsening climate-driven floods, are exacerbating water insecurity and health risks in South Sudan. Dependence on oil revenues has delayed reforms, while environmental contamination poses long-term risks to the nation’s health and food security.