Hasina urges citizens to conserve water

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged citizens to conserve as much water as possible in the light of the large amounts of government funds spent on water purification.

She made the call during the inauguration of three projects on water development on Thursday.

"I have a request to you all. We purify the water and then supply it to you; but you must be cautious while using the water. It shouldn’t be wasted,” said the prime minister.

Highlighting the huge spending on water purification in the country, the prime minister said, “We’ve a bad habit of keeping the tap running while doing all our chores. But we should stop that and only use the water that we need.”

“What will be the benefit? The water bills will be lower. You won’t listen if I simply tell you to use less water but I believe you’ll listen to me if I tell you that it will spare you a high water bill.”

Hasina also highlighted the different initiatives taken by her government to ensure water supply to the people.

Dhaka Water Supply & Sewerage Authority or Dhaka WASA has achieved 100 percent capacity in treating and supplying water, said Hasina. There is no severe outcry for water as there used to be, she said, adding that Dhaka WASA has been considered as a ‘role model’ for similar organisations providing water service in South Asia.

The government has drafted three masterplans on water supply, sewerage service and drainage management and Dhaka WASA has achieved capacity in producing consumable water in terms of those plans.

There are some hindrances in extracting the underground water and hence the government took the initiative to use the surface water, she said. “We’re also trying to reserve rainwater.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stones for the following projects—Padma (Jasholediya) Water Treatment Plant-phase1, Wellfield construction at Bhakurta in Tetuljhora Upazila of Savar and Water Treatment Plant  Phase-1 at Rupganj under the ‘Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply’ project.

She pressed for the swift completion of the projects and said, “People should properly use the water they are getting. The projects should be maintained properly.”

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative Minister Tajul Islam, Asian Development Bank Country Director Manmohan Parkash, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming, North Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh  Hu Kang-il and Dhaka WASA MD Taksim A Khan were present in the occasion.