Despite being installed to provide clean and cold water from underground, a deep tube well in Gazipur is pumping scalding hot water instead.
Sahab Uddin, a resident of Gargaria Masterbari (Gilarchala) area of Sreepur municipality of Gazipur has reported that their tubewell started pumping hot water some eight years ago, but when they removed the motor it was fixed.
However, hot water has again started coming out of the tube well for the last three years.
Locals have demanded the Directorate of Public Health Engineering and related departments carry out field tests to find out the reason behind it.
Meanwhile, when the incident went viral on social media, many people from the surrounding areas began flocking to Sahab Uddin's house to witness the strange tube well.
Bulbul, a local resident, said that hot water is being pumped from a 260-feet deep tube well, and no one knows why.
Arif Hossain of the same area said residents of the house collect water in containers a few hours before they need to use it, so it gets cold.
According to him, the water in this tube well is slightly slippery like soapy water. The smell is also slightly different.
Kausar, son of the owner of the house, said: “15-16 years ago, my father installed a deep tube well in front of the house. After two years, black and lukewarm water started coming out of the tube well.”
“A year later, in the hope of safe and clean cold water, the motor was removed and a deep tube well was installed five cubits away. The tube well pumped cold water for the first few years, but hot water started coming out again. The water from that tube well cannot be used for any purpose immediately,” he added.
Nasima Akhter Mimi has been renting the house for five years.
She said: “Earlier the tube well water was good. For the last three years, the tube well is not coming in use because of the hot water. The water cannot be used for bathing as it causes itching and hair fall.”
“We have to keep water in the fridge and use it cold. Again, if you take a bath with cold water, you get cold,” she added.
The house's owner Sahab Uddin said that there is a textile dyeing factory located just behind their house.
“The authorities at Paramount Textile Mills Limited have set up a dyeing plant next to my house. When the authorities were informed of the matter, an engineer came and assured us to solve the problem. But they are not giving any solution even after three years,” he added.
Local environmentalist Khorshed Alam said: “When I heard about the water incident, I collected sample and sent it to some private offices on my own initiative. Without testing it is not possible to say why the hot water is coming out. I call on the local administration along with the concerned departments to look into the matter seriously.”
Faisal Khan, assistant engineer of Sreepur upazila Directorate of Public Health Engineering, said: “I have seen the issue of hot water coming out from the deep tube well on social media. I will look into the matter during office hours. But there is no examination system here. We can test for arsenic. Water should be tested in the laboratory at the initiative of the house owner.”
