Water crisis in Patuakhali

People of Patuakhali town have been suffering from a serious water crisis, as reported by this newspaper yesterday, amidst a blazing summer, with around half the town's tube wells unusable due to a significant drop in underground water levels.

The local municipal authority says it has initiated a process to install eight new deeper tube wells, but they hardly seem to be enough for a town where around 80,000 people live, and it will take a lot of time.

Why didn't the local authorities notice the drop in water level and taken necessary steps beforehand anticipating the crisis? After all, the water level of such a large area does not dip overnight.

Moreover, since the subterranean water level consistently has dropped over the years, deeper tube wells can at best serve as a temporary solution. If the consumption of underground water continues at the current level, even those deeper tube wells may run dry within a few years.

The solution lies right under our noses: surface water. Instead of installing—or allowing locals to install—new tube wells, the local authorities may be advised to build a surface water dependent water supply system for all residents of the town. In addition, the locals should be encouraged to retain rainwater as an alternative.

Similar crises often occur in many areas across Dhaka. The city's groundwater level has dropped significantly over the years, while very few natural water retention areas  have been left unpolluted, unoccupied or usable. The city authorities cannot depend on groundwater indefinitely. The long-term focus should be on rescuing and purifying natural water holdings and building artificial ones which will retain rainwater and depend on surface water. Otherwise, if the current trend continues in Dhaka, Patuakhali or elsewhere, the consequences may soon be too severe to control.