Hundreds of residents in Chattogram are struggling to get enough water as saltwater intrusion in the Halda River and reduced releases from Kaptai Lake have sharply curtailed freshwater production of the Chattogram Water and Sewerage Authority.
The crisis has forced CWasa to shut down its two treatment plants for several hours each day, leaving many households with irregular and insufficient supply.
“We are getting water once or twice a week, which puts us into a severe crisis to complete our household work,” said Mahzabin Ahmed, a resident of Kalirhat in Akbarshah.
Mehedi Hasan, a CWasa meter inspector in the area, told The Daily Star, “We have been receiving complaints from consumers about water shortage over the last several days and have already informed our senior officials about the crisis.”
According to data obtained from CWasa, the Mohra and Madunghat water treatment plants have been hit hardest by rising salinity. Both plants have a daily production capacity of 90 million litres each.
From February 13 to 16, the Mohra plant remained shut for an average of seven hours a day due to excessive salinity in the raw water. During the four days, salinity in the plant area reached an average of 2,585 mg/l.
As a result, the plant’s average daily production dropped by around 20 million litres during the period.
At the Madunghat plant, salinity levels averaged 1,735 mg/l between February 13 and 16. The plant had to suspend operations for an average of two hours a day over the same period.
The shortage has put additional pressure on middle- and low-income residents, forcing many to buy water from the local market, said Muminul Hoque, a salesman of a private company and a resident of Kaibalyadham.
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The state water supply agency had 1,02,525 registered connections as of October last year.
However, the agency has no official data on the number of consumers affected by the ongoing crisis.
According to CWasa, daily production has fallen to around 44–45 crore litres from 50 crore litres.
Residents in several areas have also complained about high salinity in the supplied water, saying it has become undrinkable.
“We used to drink CWasa water after boiling it. But now, the water has become undrinkable due to the high salinity. For the last several days, we have been collecting water from a neighbour’s deep tubewell,” said Md Faruk, a resident of Enamul Hoque Road in Chawkbazar.
Maksud Alam, chief engineer of CWasa, said the increasing salinity in the Halda forced the closure of the two plants daily in the last three weeks, leading to a reduction in production.
“Our water production depends entirely on Kaptai Lake and the Halda River. During the dry season, the Halda’s upper reaches dry up, leaving us fully dependent on the Karnaphuli. But with less water in Kaptai Lake, the power plant has reduced its release, and the Karnaphuli’s flow has dropped. As a result, saltwater from the Bay of Bengal is entering the Karnaphuli and reaching the Halda, spreading salinity in both rivers,” he said.
Consumer rights activists voiced concern over the worsening salinity and water shortage.
Nazer Hossain, president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, Chattogram division, said, “We informally requested CWasa to take preparations to tackle the crisis during the dry season, as the situation has remained unchecked for the last several years. But the agency failed.”
“We are demanding proper water supply for consumers as per their rights, especially during Iftar and Sehri times in Ramadan,” he added.
When asked, the CWasa chief engineer said, “As the lake’s water is gradually falling, we are now rationing the supply to consumers. This crisis is natural, and it cannot be resolved without rainfall.”
