City faces water crisis
EVERY year around this time, Dhaka city dwellers face acute water crisis. With the onset of the heat that comes with summer, utility service provider Dhaka Water & Sewerage Authority (WASA) is in doldrums as to how to cope with the demand for water to many of the 15million or so residents of Dhaka. For the poorer sections of the population who call the city their home it is downright nightmare. Long queues of people can be seen lining up to WASA pumps on a daily basis. Such spectacle is hardly entertaining as it takes away precious hours of the day for the average citizen who is unfortunate to be living in those quarters of the city that have been hit by water shortage.
The reason for such shortage is no great secret. Falling ground water tables is one which cannot be mitigated in the shorter term as it has a lot to do with over use, lack of rains and polluted surface water. However the problems related to technical difficulties that keep a number of WASA pumps dysfunctional can surely be addressed. That we have to face these known issues year after year is frustrating. Knowing full well that the sweltering heat during this time of the year will invariably increase demand for water, city utility services can take advance measures to meet the excess demand. Additional pumps can be brought into play during the few months when the mercury level is at its peak. It is also time we did something about rain water harvesting.
Comments