To quench his thirst, Nematullo Basirov has to draw water from a stream in his yard, hoping he won't get sick after drinking it. Despite Tajikistan's abundant water reserves, access to clean drinking water remains a privilege in this mountainous Central Asian country. "It contains all sorts of dirt," Basirov tells AFP, as he cleans the small irrigation canal used by the entire village in the Balkh district, also known as Kolkhozobod (south). IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES