Twice a year, here in the capital of Mongolia’s westernmost province, Khuangan grabs a shovel, ties a cord around his waist and descends into the darkness to keep the water supply flowing.His neighbours lower him slowly to the bottom of a deep well shaft. There, he turns on his flashlight and digs into the muck of black ice and sediment that has blocked the water source that his family and three others depend upon.Securing a steady and safe source of water is one of Khuangan’s main concerns. Few households enjoy piped drinking water in his neighbourhood. Most families must take it upon themselves to provide water – digging and maintaining their own wells, or using public water-pumping stations. “We cannot just sit and wait until the government provides help,” says Khuangan. “We have to take care of our own lives. We understand that very well. But no matter how hard we try, our lives do not improve much.”