A severe drinking water crisis has deepened in the city and villages of Khulna.
The Public Health Department has undertaken six projects to tackle the problem. Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority’s project for the cityis near- completion.
Khulna Water Supply Department Executive Engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering Md Zahid said from the 2009-2010 fiscal year, till now, many projects have been implemented and more are ongoing. “The projects will solve the current water crisis,” he said.
He added: “It is difficult to implement projects according to the people’s demands, but the government is doing its best to solve the crisis.”
He said that thus far, 3457 deep tube well projects are ongoing.
According to the Khulna Public Health Engineering Department, to remove arsenic – in the: Dumuria, Paikgacha, Rupsa, and Terkhada upazilas – 477 deep tube wells, 179 rainwater harvesting plants, 93 VSST / SST, and 93 PSF will be constructed—after the tender process is completed.
A water-tank installed by the Public Health Department to harvest rain-water Dhaka Tribune
Additionally: four public toilets, 343 shallow tube wells, 498 deep tube wells, and 349 rain water harvesters will be constructed by the prioritized rural water supply project in nine Khulna upazilas. Thus far, 25% of deep tube wells have already been completed.
Further, under the Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira (KBS) Safe Water Supply Project, 95% of the work constructing 1500 rain water-harvesting plants, 80% of the work creating 200 deep tube wells, and 45 PSF repair installations of four experimental tube wells has been completed. Thirty PSF installations and the installation of 15 solar-powered PSF are still under in the bidding process.
The construction of two pump houses with security walls, installation of a 10km pipeline, set up of 350 house connections, and construction of one overhead tank, has yet to be completed.
Furthermore, 22 ponds are being re-excavated andrehabilitated by the District Council for Water Conservation and Safe Water Supply. The work on 6 ponds, in Dakop, is complete. The work on four ponds in Koirah will soon start, and on nine has yet to start . There are six remaining projects in Paikgacha as well.
To tackle the water crisis the Public Health Department is fitting a fence to restrict access to the man-made reservoir Dhaka Tribune
As part of the water supply project in rural areas: four shallow tube wells, 39 deep tube wells, 18 rainwater harvesters, seven deep tube wells connected to multiple hand pumps, and 10 ponds will be excavated.
Lastly, the Environmental Sanitation Project will set up: 12 community toilets, 14 community bins, one overhead Tank, one reservoir, and one treatment plant. This will supply water and manage manpower for 32 municipalities.
About Tk20 crore will be spent on these projects in the year fiscal year 2019-20.
