Residents of the nine upazilas of Khulna have for long been facing an acute shortage of drinking water, and there seems to be no end in sight to the crisis as the world observes World Water Day on Wednesday.
Women, men and children look helpless as they collect water miles away from their homes for their families.
Many are compelled to collect water from mixed sources, including ponds with contaminated and saline water.
The depletion of natural sources, the adverse effects of climate change, increased salinity and the loss of repositories of freshwater have resulted in the shortage of drinking water. The ongoing problem has had a significant impact on the daily lives of people in the upazilas.
During the Bangla months of Chaitra and Boishakh, ponds, rivers, canals and wetlands in the region dry up, resulting in a decrease in groundwater levels. As a result, people have to face even more difficulty in obtaining safe drinking water. Even when they manage to find a source, it is located far away, which makes it hard to collect the water.
Additionally, even if there are freshwater ponds, they are often affected by natural disasters and waterborne diseases, which make the water unsuitable for consumption.
As a result, people are forced to drink contaminated water, which can lead to various diseases and subsequent economic pressures.
Moreover, transporting water from distant sources also puts a physical and financial strain on individuals.
Residents of Koyra upazila, including Halima Begum, are facing difficulties in accessing clean water for food and drinking due to salinity. They have to travel 2 kilometres to fetch water.
Meanwhile, Shila Rani, a resident of Paikgasa, relies on a nearby pond for her water needs.
However, many in the area are forced to rely on rainwater or filter the water from ponds due to severe salinity intrusion in the groundwater.
Despite efforts to store and filter rainwater, many residents are still suffering from water scarcity and its adverse effects on their health and livelihoods, as most of the pond sand filters have become useless.
Khulna Department of Public Health Engineering Chief Engineer Akmal Hossain said as Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira are in the coastal region, these areas are highly affected by saltwater intrusion, and the process of reverse osmosis to make the water drinkable is not environment-friendly, which is why it is discouraged.
“We are mainly encouraging people to use surface water and rainwater. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised to conserve rainwater and purify canal and pond water to make it potable. We are also establishing deep and shallow tube wells to fight the water scarcity,” he added.
Khulna has been suffering from a water crisis since the devastation of Cyclone Aila in 2009, which caused severe damage to the area.
To address the water crisis, local residents have demanded effective and sustainable long-term solutions.
An Organization for Socio-Economic Development (AOSED) Coordinator Mahabubur Rahman Mohan said the government should take initiative to stop the use of underground water. “Taking on projects is not enough; monitoring is required,” he said.
AOSED Executive Director Shamim Arefin said it is not possible to solve the water crisis even by taking up projects.
However, the administration is thinking of creating a separate water source for those who were given houses to mark Mujib Borsho.
The deputy commissioner of Khulna said apart from providing houses to the homeless in Mujib Borsho, the issue of fresh water is also being considered.
“Initially, we are thinking of providing one tube well for four-five families. In addition, we are also thinking of providing pond sand filters and alternative systems in remote areas like Koyra and Paikgasa.”
