In the wake of steady decline in groundwater reserve for overuse leading
to its short supply, particularly in dry season across the country,
experts suggest measures to face the crisis. They say that 80 per cent
of waste water from households
can be effectively recycled for reuse to meet its increasing demand in
cities and towns. While speaking at a seminar on "Complete use of water: Expectations and Duties" held in the city on January 30 last, experts said only 20 per cent of the water supplied to consumers by the Dhaka Water
Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) in Dhaka city is used for cooking
and drinking and the rest for other household purposes. There are
scientific ways to recycle waste water from households which can be reused, especially in toilets and for washing linens and many other purposes.
WASA estimates that the groundwater level is falling at a rate of two to three metres in the metropolis each year due to its overuse. The WASA authority says that its daily production of water stands at 2100 million litres of which 88 per cent is groundwater and the rest comes from surface sources. It is also distressing to learn that 80 per cent water for irrigation in rural areas and 98 per cent water for household use are received from underground sources. This massive extraction of groundwater has caused an adverse effect on environment and posed a serious threat to life of millions of people in the country. Moreover the fast depletion of groundwater has rendered thousands of shallow tubewells out of operation, threatening farm output.
A report by Bangladesh Sangbad Songstha (BSS) last month quoted experts as saying that groundwater for irrigation is extracted without proper planning resulting in its colossal wastage as well as adverse impact on ecology and agriculture. They estimate that 0.8 million tubewells are enough to maintain irrigation countrywide. Whereas about 1.3 million shallow tubewells are now in operation causing huge wastage of groundwater. Australia and many other countries across the global don't use groundwater for irrigation in order to protect ecological balance. Therefore, experts suggest, dependency on groundwater for irrigation and other purposes must be reduced to avoid environmental hazards.
In another development, Dhaka WASA had earlier taken a plan to harvest rain water. The project remained stalled for bureaucratic bottleneck. WASA has, of late, started the project on a trial basis. The government has also decided to amend the Building Construction Rules 2008 with a provision to make harvesting of rain water mandatory for all new houses in Dhaka city. Under the proposed rule, the new buildings must have facility to retain rain water. The Rajdhani Unnyan Kartipakkha (RAJUK), the lone city development authority, says that the amendment to the existing construction rules will facilitate harvesting of rain water as well as groundwater recharge.
We know that harvesting of rain water has been proved effective in various countries of the world. During monsoon Dhaka city experiences rainfall of about 2000 mm. The rain water may be stored on rooftops during this period.
WASA estimates that the groundwater level is falling at a rate of two to three metres in the metropolis each year due to its overuse. The WASA authority says that its daily production of water stands at 2100 million litres of which 88 per cent is groundwater and the rest comes from surface sources. It is also distressing to learn that 80 per cent water for irrigation in rural areas and 98 per cent water for household use are received from underground sources. This massive extraction of groundwater has caused an adverse effect on environment and posed a serious threat to life of millions of people in the country. Moreover the fast depletion of groundwater has rendered thousands of shallow tubewells out of operation, threatening farm output.
A report by Bangladesh Sangbad Songstha (BSS) last month quoted experts as saying that groundwater for irrigation is extracted without proper planning resulting in its colossal wastage as well as adverse impact on ecology and agriculture. They estimate that 0.8 million tubewells are enough to maintain irrigation countrywide. Whereas about 1.3 million shallow tubewells are now in operation causing huge wastage of groundwater. Australia and many other countries across the global don't use groundwater for irrigation in order to protect ecological balance. Therefore, experts suggest, dependency on groundwater for irrigation and other purposes must be reduced to avoid environmental hazards.
In another development, Dhaka WASA had earlier taken a plan to harvest rain water. The project remained stalled for bureaucratic bottleneck. WASA has, of late, started the project on a trial basis. The government has also decided to amend the Building Construction Rules 2008 with a provision to make harvesting of rain water mandatory for all new houses in Dhaka city. Under the proposed rule, the new buildings must have facility to retain rain water. The Rajdhani Unnyan Kartipakkha (RAJUK), the lone city development authority, says that the amendment to the existing construction rules will facilitate harvesting of rain water as well as groundwater recharge.
We know that harvesting of rain water has been proved effective in various countries of the world. During monsoon Dhaka city experiences rainfall of about 2000 mm. The rain water may be stored on rooftops during this period.
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