RESIDENTS of Botshabelo in Free State are risking their lives daily to access water after their taps ran dry two weeks ago.

Women with children brave an almost 2km walk to nearby hills to fetch "filthy water" from wells and streams. They share the "filthy water" with cows, sheep and frogs.

They claim the problem is ongoing. In February and March they were forced to go to the same hills in search of water after their taps ran dry.

Recently someone told the women he had spotted a snake in the water. But that did not scare them and they continued fetching water from the same area.

If a person loses their footing while walking up or down the hills with a bucket full of water on their head, they risk serious injury.

"We find ourselves in a situation where we have no alternative but to fetch this filthy water daily," Thabo Melthafa said.

Residents said no one in the Mangaung municipality had explained to them what had caused their taps to run dry.

Municipal spokesman Qondile Khedama said "the problem has been fixed".

"The cause of the problem was a burst water pipe and it has been fixed," he said.