Proper use of sources can ensure safe water

Proper utilisation and management of water resources can ensure safe drinking water for all in the country, speakers told a seminar yesterday. 

The said though water resources were satisfactorily available in the country, people's lives were still at risk due to lack of its quality and purity.

Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP), End Water Poverty and Bangladesh Wash Alliance organised the seminar "Ending Water Crisis" at The Daily Star Centre in the capital, marking the World Water Day today.

"In rural areas, 98 percent of people have access to water, and currently 78 percent of them get safe drinking water since 20 percent of tube wells are contaminated with arsenic," said Md Jobair Hasan, development researcher of DORP.

"We have to concentrate on purifying saline water to ensure the safe drinking water for costal people through the use of modern technologies", said AKM Ibrahim, executive engineer of Public Health Division, adding that the government was detecting khas ponds and water bodies to use those as water reservoirs in order to maintain ground water level for ensuring safe drinking water.

Prof Dr Hamidul Haque of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Executive Director of DORP AHM Nouman, and Project Director of Policy Support Unit of Local Government Division Kazi Abdul Noor also spoke at the programme chaired by Country Coordinator of Bangladesh Wash Alliance Alak Kumar Mazumdar.