Surface Water Too Stinky
WASA still dependent on ground water
Although WASA started its second phase water treatment plant, to supply drinking water to Dhaka city dwellers, the situation has not improved as the government failed to stop river pollution.
The second phase of Sayedabad water treatment plant adds 22 and half crore liters of water to the supply which increases the use of surface water to 22 percent from 13 percent.
But yet the usage of ground water is very high compared to many other mega cities.
During dry season, the pollution level reaches such a stage that the river water looks opaque black and stinks too foul. Quoting WASA's official sources, different newspapers report that if the pollution continued at this rate, then WASA would not be able to run their water treatment plants and supply water to the city dwellers in a decade.
In that case, the city water supply will be solely dependent on the ground water source which is very alarming for us.
It was possible to pump out ground water sinking tube well just 80 feet deep during sixties. Now it requires 360 feet long pipe to get the water as the water level is going down 3-6 feet every year.
A recent visit to Demra, Sarulia's Shitolokkha, from where the authority is collecting water for their Sayedabad second phase plant, made one amply convinced that the water there still stinks too foul.
Though the government pledged in 2009, just immediately after taking the chair, that they would stop river pollution at any cost, it is very much there.
The enforcement and monitoring wing of the department of environment conducted several drives against the polluter industries and many other industries which installed Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) but left them inoperative to save cost appreciation due to their lack of awareness.
Though the department of environment caught and fined the polluters but later many of them were released on just realization of fine.
The environment and forest minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud had claimed in a press conference in December last that water situation of Dhaka rivers had improved a bit. But the environment ministry and all other concerned authorities have lot more to do to keep this city livable and its water potable.
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