In a report submitted to the High Court by Dhaka Water Supply and Sewage Authority, it was revealed that water supplied by Wasa in 57 areas of its 10 zones were polluted.
This is hardly a surprise for residents of Dhaka city, who have been living with an undrinkable water supply for a very long time.
Most people boil or purify their water in some form before drinking, and this is a necessary practice, in spite of the Wasa MD’s recent comments that the water quality was perfectly fine, and safe to drink.
Study after study has revealed the sad state of the water supply, including a World Bank report from last year, which found E-coli bacteria in 80% of private-piped water taps.
Even deep underground water, which many tend to think of as being perfectly safe for the most part, is frequently found contaminated with large amounts of metals and other pollutants.
When it comes to drinking water, or water for general household use, we are almost entirely dependent on Wasa, and a failure of Wasa to do its job is something that must be rectified without delay.
A country’s development is not measured merely by numbers like GDP per capita, or the annual economic growth rate, but also by how much priority government authorities are able to give to the health of its people, and to quality of life.
To that end, ensuring the availability of pure water is absolutely necessary to becoming a truly developed nation; and for that, we must hold Wasa to account.
