Drinking water crisis

So, the need for better management of water resources and improving upon the existing collection and distribution systems can hardly be over-emphasised. Already, the situation is critical as too much extraction of ground water has resulted in an alarming lowering of the subsoil water table. The side effects of the underground water level can be disastrous. Land subsidence, the signs of which have been noticed in some places around the city in recent times, is one of the hazards that unplanned extraction of ground water could invite. And the risk of earthquake damage being multiplied is also there. So the bulk of water requirements should come from surface water. And better planning is needed to avoid any crisis during the lean periods. That's why emphasis should be laid on use of rainwater and its conservation for the dry season.

The weaknesses in the management of Water and Sewerage Authority must also be eliminated to avoid wastage of water. A huge number of consumers in the city slums are still dependent on illegal connections for water supply. Things have to be set right there because no planning will be effective as long as such unaccounted for consumption continues. Water supply to the slums has to be ensured, but not in an unlawful manner. Moreover, WASA has a weak distribution system with leakage that allows entry of pollutants, causing both contamination and loss of water.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

The task of maintaining water supply consistent with demand in the years to come will be a daunting one, given the gap between the installed capacity and the ever increasing demand. The formulators of the master plan should concentrate on both capacity building through surface water plants and combating the environmental fallout of excessive ground water extraction over time.