During the dry season, water does not rise in the shallow tube wells in most places of Khulna city. Those with pumps along with deep tube wells have also reduced the amount of water rising. Water is rising properly only in deep tube wells. On the other hand, Khulna Wasa supplies water through the pipeline but it is not potable. As a result, the submersible pump in the upper-class neighbor’s house is now the only source of drinking water.
According to the investigation, underground water has been extracted by unplanned deep-shallow tube wells, ordinary pumps and submersible pumps in the city for a long time. ADB advised not to draw more than 50 million liters of water from the ground every day. But the water being extracted is much more than that. As a result, the ground water level has gone down continuously. In the last 9 years, the water level in 14 wards of the city has dropped from 1.98 meters to 4.04 meters (13.25 feet). As a result, water is not rising in many tubewells and pumps in the current summer season.
WASA conducts ground water level survey every year during summer season. According to the agency’s survey data, compared to 2015, the ground water level has dropped by 1.98 meters in wards 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 of the city. to 4.04 meters.
As the water level has gone down, water is not rising at all from the shallow tube wells of the houses in Sheikhpara, Gobarchaka, Bara Mirzapur, Chhota Mirzapur, Baitipara, Tutpara and other areas of the city.
Earlier there were two tube wells in Chota Mirzapur area, two in Big Mirzapur area, two in Baitipara area, one on Deven Babu Road and TB Boundary Road along the road. They were removed as the water did not rise.
Zakaria Hossain Tushar, a resident of Jinnahpara area of the city, said that water is not rising in the deep tubewell of the house this month. Hand hurts when pressing the faucet.
Sirajul Islam has his own four storied building in Sheikhpara area of Khulna city. The building has a tube well and motorized water pumping system. Since the first of this month, water is not rising in any of the tube wells and motors. Other needs are met with water from the WASHER pipe line. But he has to run to his neighbor’s house for food and cooking water.
Sirajul Islam lamented and said, ‘I am going to the neighboring house for drinking water even though there is no tap in my house. This problem of water cannot be explained to anyone. During the day I feel ashamed to draw water in front of everyone, so I bring water at night.’
At least 50 to 60 people go to fetch water every morning and afternoon in front of Modern Tower on TB Boundary Road in Moulvipara of the city. The security guard of that building. Babul said that every day from 8 am to 9 am and from 5 pm to 6 pm submersible pumps are given free water to the people. As the tubewells and pumps of many nearby houses did not produce water, they took water from here.
Abul Kashem, a resident of that road, said that for the last two weeks, water is not rising in the tubewell of the house. That’s why I come here every morning with bottles and jars to get water.
Not only these two, but drinking water is another name for the suffering of many people in different areas of Khulna city in the current summer season.
Khulna University Department of Environmental Science Discipline Head Professor Dr. Abdullah Harun Chowdhury said, the duration and amount of water bodies and rainfall in the city and adjacent areas has decreased. In addition, the amount of water that is constantly being extracted from the ground, the amount of water is not accumulating in the underground level. As a result, the ground water level is continuously decreasing and the water crisis is increasing every year.
Khulna Wasa Managing Director Engineer Md. Abdullah said, they spend 11 rupees to supply 1000 liters of underground water. And 17 and a half taka is spent on purifying the water of Madhumati river and supplying it. However, they have not completely stopped drawing underground water to reduce costs. On the other hand, they charge Rs 9 for 1000 liters of water from the customer.
He said, if they purify more water from Madhumati river, then their production cost will increase. Then they have to pay more subsidy. Moreover, at the moment they do not want to burden the customer with additional bills. Because of that, the extraction of water from the ground has not been stopped.
About the use of so many private tube wells and submersible pumps, he said, the number of WASA customers is about 41 thousand 800. But still about 20 percent of households have not received WASA water connection. They use tube wells and pumps to extract underground water.
