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Published : 12 May 2024, 02:02 AM
Residents of Dhaka’s Jurain continue to wrestle with persistent water woes which have shown no signs of improvement over the years.
There has been a small increase in supply, but people are still complaining about the foul odour coming from the water supplied by the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority or WASA.
The water's murky appearance and foul odour render it unusable for drinking or cooking, forcing locals to rely on alternative sources.
Mizanur Rahman, a resident of Jurain, made headlines back on Apr 23, 2019, when he, accompanied by his family, staged a protest outside Dhaka WASA demanding clean water.
His symbolic gesture of offering sherbet made from Jurain water to longtime WASA Managing Director Taqsem A Khan drew attention to the prolonged issue of contaminated water supply in the area.
Over the past five years, Dhaka has seen significant progress, but the situation in Jurain remains unchanged, with residents still facing challenges regarding water quality.
During a visit to Jurain on Thursday, a similar situation with WASA water was observed in the Muradpur neighbourhood.
The water remains unfit for consumption, and using it to wash clothes turns white garments to black.
Monowara Begum, a resident of East Jurain, has been enduring this issue for years.
She expressed her frustration, saying, "The water that comes into our home is murky and has a strong odour. As a result, we are forced to purchase water for drinking and cooking."
She mentioned that the water quality has deteriorated lately, sometimes appearing as murky as mud.
"We're forced to cook with it, and I have to spend Tk 20 every day to purchase drinking water."
Niamul Haque, another local resident, said that the water crisis has persisted for years and worsened over the past two years, now accompanied by insects in the muddy water.
ADDITIONAL WATER EXPENSES
People in Jurain and Muradpur need to pay extra for clean water and spend time waiting near the local mosque's deep tubewell.
On Thursday, a crowd was waiting with bottles, jars, or jugs for water. Some were leaving with their water, while others were still waiting their turn.
At Kusumbagh Jame Masjid in East Jurain, residents can get water from 7am to 11:30am and after Asr prayers until 10:30pm.
They must pay for this service: Tk 1 for a bottle or jug, Tk 2 for a 5-litre bottle, Tk 3 for a 10-litre bottle or jug, and Tk 5 for a jar of water.
At the mosque near Markaz Us-Sunnah madrasa in Dhaka, residents pay Tk 1 for 1 litre of water, Tk 2 for 5 litres, Tk 3 for a large gallon or medium jug, Tk 5 for a large jug and Tk 6 for a large jar.
These mosques in Jurain and Muradpur have set prices for locals to access water.
Omar Faruq, a resident, believes that without this support from the mosques, people would have no way to get drinking water.
"Bathing with WASA water is out of the question. We rely on water from the mosques for drinking. Dhaka WASA water is of such poor quality that it stains white clothes during washing. It also causes itching when bathing children, so I add Savlon and Dettol to the bucket to alleviate their skin problems," he explained.
Nasima Begum delivers water from the mosque to homes for a fee. Nasima delivers 11 gallons of water to multiple homes every day. "No one in our area can drink water directly from the WASA line. I serve five homes and have to bring water for them. I also deliver water to three other houses. I make Tk 1,800 a month from this," she said.
Local public representatives and WASA officials echoed the struggles of the common people.
Mir Hossain Miru, the councillor of Ward No. 53 under Dhaka South City Corporation, acknowledged the long-standing water issues in the area, stating, "The supplied water is foul-smelling and unfit for consumption."
As a result, people rely on obtaining water from the mosque, which is clean and odourless, he said.
“I regularly discuss this issue with the Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and WASA engineers. WASA is currently installing new pipes."
However, AKM Sahid Uddin, deputy managing director of Dhaka WASA, provided a different perspective.
He mentioned that the Jurain-Muradpur water supply line is almost 50 years old and buried about 20 feet underground.
Sahid explained that the pipes were damaged in several places, allowing dirty water to seep in. Consequently, households receive taps with water contaminated by a foul odour and dirt.
"The entire water line has been punctured. How many places should I fix? Even if repairs are made, the problem persists. Working on the narrow road at a depth of 20 feet poses a risk of neighbouring buildings collapsing. This situation has been ongoing for quite some time," Sahid told bdnews24.com.
He explained that as a part of Dhaka city's water line replacement project, there were plans to install a new line in Jurain-Muradpur.
However, getting permission from the city corporation to dig up roads and lay down the lines has slowed down the installation of the water lines.
"We recently received permission to dig the road and work on line installation has begun in some areas. Once the new lines are in place, the water won't have a bad smell anymore," he said.
