The New Nation - Internet Edition

ACCORDING to Dhaka WASA statistics, the daily demand for water in the city is about 2,100 million litres whereas the actual amount supplied by it is nearly 1,600 million litres. There is thus a wide gap between demand and supply. Thus, crisis of water experiences in different areas of the city, particularly the old city. In this backdrop, there are also concerns about the depletion of the underground water level in the city. It continues notwithstanding the heavy rains experienced during the rainy season.

The pavement of nearly 80 per cent of the land in te city is linked to this phenomenon. It appears that water cannot seep underground to raise the water level. Besides, further pumping out of water from the already much lowered aquifer would worsen land subsidence conditions in the city and make it more vulnerable to earthquakes. Therefore, the more viable and safe option to increase water supply in the city would be large scale use of surface water.

The first phase of the Sayeedabad water treatment plant using the water of the Sitalakhya river was operationalised about three years ago adding to the total supply of water. But no other project has been taken up since that time to further increase the supply. The second phase of implementation of the Sayeedabad project has been awaiting the conclusion of successful negotiations. Two other major projects for drawing waters from the Padma to supply Dhaka city are also awaiting negotiations with donors.

However, while pursuing the options some points are also to be considered. All the rivers flowing past Dhaka are seen as getting more and more polluted by the unregulated drainage of all kinds of effluents in them. It is an imperative to take steps to keep the rivers clean before more projects are taken up using their waters.