DUSHANBE, July 10, 2012, Asia-Plus -- Last week, members of a Civil Affairs Team (CAT) from the U.S. Embassy officially handed over a new water system to the people of Sari-Chashma, and neighboring villages in the Shouroobod district, Khatlon province, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe said.

In 2010, uncommonly severe flooding destroyed Sari-Chashma’s Soviet-era water system. As a result, people living in that area have been left without access to running water. The new water system, which incorporates a sand and rock filtration unit with chlorination capabilities, ensures that 6,000 people living in the Sari-Chashma region once again have access to clean water, substantially decreasing the risk of water-borne disease and improving overall health of the population.

“The completion of this water system is a result of the hard work, dedication, and cooperation of Sari-Chashma’s citizens and the U.S. Embassy,” said Devin Conley, a member of CAT. This project is one of many ways that the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Embassy work to improving the quality of life for the people of Tajikistan.