Residents across various neighborhoods in Dhaka are facing issues with their water supply, as complaints of foul odor and insect infestation in Wasa-supplied water continue to rise.
“Most homes in this alley face water-related issues. The water not only smells foul but also contains insects. Despite repeatedly asking the landlord to clean the water tank, it hasn’t helped. We’ve been forced to tie a cloth over the faucet for bathing and washing. For cooking, we must use a water filter. Because of the water problem, my small children frequently suffer from stomach and skin diseases.”
These were the words of Sonia Begum, a resident of Folpotti in Mirpur-10, who has been living in the area with her husband and two children for nearly seven years.
Regarding the water issues, Sonia further added: “We can’t use tap water directly for cooking. We either have to filter it or boil it. Otherwise, the food smells bad. Every apartment in this five-story building faces the same issue. Although the tank has been cleaned several times, nothing has really changed. Even if there are no insects sometimes, the smell remains.”
Khadeja Begum, a resident of Lane 11 in Mirpur’s Benarasi Palli, shared a similar story, saying: “There’s a constant problem with water in this area. For the past one and a half years, the water has smelled so bad that we can’t even consider using it directly for cooking or drinking. My two-year-old son frequently had stomach issues. At first, we couldn’t figure out the cause. But after a doctor advised us to change the water, he started getting better.
"But how long can we keep buying bottled water? So last August, I bought a filter. Since then, we boil and filter the water before drinking.”
However, the problem of insects and foul-smelling water isn’t limited to just Mirpur.
Investigations reveal the issue also affects areas like Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, Kathalbagan, Banglamotor, Moghbazar, and Bijoynagar.
Still, Wasa authorities claim that they do not supply water containing insects or a foul odor. Instead, they advise residents to clean their water tanks and reservoirs thoroughly.
Shahana Begum, a resident of 28 Lake Circus Road in Kalabagan, mentioned that the problem worsens during summer.
“This problem started about 4–5 years ago, especially in the summer. For the last two months, there’s been a bad smell and insects in the water. We’ve tied white cloth over the taps to filter it. Although we don’t see insects now, just a few days ago, when I cleaned the cloth, I noticed red thread-like particles. Eventually, I realized they were insects. So I had to buy a filter for the tap. Now, the problem has reduced,” she said.
Rania Begum, a working woman who has been living near Kathalbagan Bazaar for two years, said: “Water in my home and the adjacent four houses smells bad and sometimes contains insects. Although the issue subsided for a while, last year I saw insects falling from the bathroom tap. Despite cleaning the tank, the problem returned every few days.
"Over the past few months, it seemed fine, but just before Eid, insects started appearing again in the kitchen tap water. I inquired and found the same issue in neighboring homes. We contacted Wasa officials, and they said they would look into it.”
Wasa responds
According to Wasa sources, the organization supplies an average of 260 to 275 million litres of water daily to meet the demand in Dhaka.
The main sources of this water are the Shitalakshya and Padma rivers.
Water from the Shitalakshya River is supplied to areas like Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, Kathalbagan, Karwan Bazar, and Banglamotor. On the other hand, treated water from the Padma River is supplied to areas like Puran Dhaka, Lalbagh, Siddique Bazar, and Chankharpul.
Mohammad Abdul Kader, deputy secretary (Coordination) of the managing director’s office at Dhaka Wasa, told Dhaka Tribune: “There are some issues during the dry season, especially with water sourced from the Shitalakshya River. Water levels drop while demand increases. Since the river water is polluted, a sufficient amount of chlorine is used during purification. So the smell that people are reporting is actually from the chlorine.
"However, due to the recent rains, this situation is expected to improve significantly. You’ll see, there won’t be any more complaints in a few days.”
Regarding the presence of insects, he said: “There are no insects in the water we supply. Homes facing this issue should have their water connection lines, reservoirs, and tanks cleaned by professionals. They should also run water through every tap to clean the pipes. If, after all this, insects are still found and it’s confirmed that they came from Wasa-supplied water, we will take full responsibility.”
Wasa’s Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Engineer AKM Shahid Uddin also advised residents to clean their tanks and reservoirs.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, he said: “We do not supply smelly or insect-infested water. The water we deliver is thoroughly treated and tested before release. There’s no evidence of insect presence in our tests.”
He further advised residents, saying: “If anyone finds insects or a bad smell in their water, they must thoroughly clean their tanks, reservoirs, and pipelines. If the problem persists even after that, they should inform us.”
