Zimbabwe's Water Woes

A young boy prepares to drink clean water from a borehole in Harare, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008. President Robert Mugabe declared that Zimbabwe's cholera crisis was over Thursday, even as the United Nations raised the death toll from the epidemic to 783. Cholera has spread rapidly in the southern African nation because of the country's crumbling health care system and the lack of clean water.

A woman suspected to be suffering from cholera is transported in a wheelbarrow to a clinic for treatment, in Harare, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008. The U.N. said 16,403 cases have been reported.

A baby drinks water from her mother's hand in Harare, Zimbabwe, Monday, Dec. 8, 2008. European Union nations moved to tighten sanctions against Zimbabwe's government on Monday and stood united in calling for the country's authoritarian leader Robert Mugabe to "step down." A cholera outbreak is claiming thousands of lives due to the poor state of health care there.

People carry water collected from an unprotected well in Harare, Monday, Dec. 8, 2008. Zimbabwe's economy has collapsed under Robert Mugabe's rule. Many people struggle to eat and find clean drinking water. The health care system has collapsed, and Zimbabwe declared a national emergency last week over the cholera epidemic, appealing for international help to buy food and drugs.

Women carry buckets of water in Budiriro, Harare, Zimbabwe. Monday, Dec, 8, 2008.

Zimbabweans wait to get water from a water point in Glen View, Harare, Zimbabwe, Monday, Dec. 8, 2008.

A woman with her baby waits to get water from a water point in Glen View, Harare, Zimbabwe, Monday, Dec. 8, 2008.

Children collect stagnant water for use at home in Glen View, Harare, Zimbabwe, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008.

A woman and her baby take time to rest next to a heap of garbage in Highfields, Harare, Zimbabwe, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008.

A Zimbabwean girl collects stagnant water for use at home in Glen View, Harare, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008.

A man carries containers for sale in Harare, Zimbabwe, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008.

A young boy carries a container to fetch water in Mutare, east of Harare, Zimbabwe, Friday, Dec. 5, 2008.

A woman prays in front of one of the city's water reticulation tanks in Harare, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008.

Apostolic worshippers, rear, walk near a burst sewage pipe in a suburb of Harare, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008.

Women and children collect clean water from a UNICEF truck in Harare, Zimbabwe, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.

Buckets and water containers belonging to women and children are placed in a line as they await the delivery of clean water from a UNICEF truck in Harare, Zimbabwe Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.

A young boy fetches water from a river after bathing in Harare, Zimbabwe, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.