<i>Cry for water</i>

Residents of Pikepara of Mirpur in the capital queue up with their vessels yesterday and wait for a Dhaka Wasa water tanker as the area has been experiencing acute water crisis for more than a month.Photo: Anisur Rahman

It was time for Zohr prayers. After the azan, the muezzin of Shah Sahebnagar mosque in Mirpur made an announcement through the microphone yesterday: “Please perform ablutions before coming to the prayers as there is no water at the mosque.”
But sometimes, many in the area do not have water at their homes as well for ablutions.
The people of Paikpara in Mirpur where Shah Sahebnagar mosque is situated have been facing extreme sufferings for over a month due to acute water crisis.
Every day, the local residents wait hours in queue for water when the mobile water distribution container of Wasa (Water Supply and Sewerage Authority) comes to the area to provide water.
"Water flow is so low in the tap that it is now very hard for us to collect drinking water. How can we manage water for other household work," said a distressed housewife of the area who was waiting in a queue yesterday noon to get drinking water from the Wasa mobile water distribution container.
Many locals said that the mobile container is barely enough to meet the demand of drinking water in the area.
Shah Sahebnagar Samaj Unnayan Sangstha yesterday applied to the Wasa for taking urgent steps to make the water supply in the area normal as soon as possible.
"My mother doesn't go to bed till midnight, so that she can preserve some water from the tap for the next day," said Tania, another resident of Mirpur.
Not only in Mirpur, crisis of clean water has been prevailing in almost all parts of the capital with the onset of summer.
Residents of Moghbazar, Mouchak and old Dhaka have been complaining about either water crisis or stink in water.
The Wasa authorities said that they have been providing 172 crore litres of water daily in the city against the demand of 210 crore litres.
"Our capacity is generally 190 crore litres every day. But due to electricity shortage, we cannot lift and provide that much water now," Mahfuzur Rahman, a Wasa official said.
The Wasa sources, however, said that they have already set up permanent generators at 233 pump stations out of 482 stations. Besides, they have also arranged 41 mobile generators for use during emergencies.
Meanwhile, a press statement from the Wasa yesterday said that they have identified the areas with severe water crisis and they have been providing water through their 22 mobile containers and another 22 trolleys.
As the Wasa has been using extra chemicals to treat the water, people from some areas are getting stinky water. 'But the water is totally germ-free and safe,' the statement added.
The Wasa authorities have also requested the joint forces to help them out in ensuring proper water distribution. The army will be deployed at the Wasa pumps in a day or two, the sources added.