AN hour after casting her vote during pre-polling for the 2022 General Election, Raijeli Marama Naisake went back to wash dishes in the Vunisea River near her home in Tokaimalo, Ra.

She said this was her reality despite having a perfectly good tap at home.

“There’s only three pipes that supply water to four homes on our side of the river,” Ms Naisake said.

“The only time we can get water through them is when it rains. Otherwise, we are here at the river washing clothes and our dishes.

“I have a perfectly good washing machine in my house that I can’t use because of this problem.”

The mother of three said she hoped her vote would go towards establishing a government that would bring consistent water supply.

“I’ve lived here for eight years and during that time, water has always been the biggest problem for us. It’s good that we have electricity but that we can live without.

Water we can’t live without.”

A total of 120 people were registered to vote at the Vunisea Polling Station.