The Non-government Organisation (NGO) Forum for Public Health has, for the first time in the northern region of Bangladesh, introduced aquifer recharge facility in Nachole Upazila of Chapainawabganj district. The method aims at recharging the aquifers with rainwater for keeping the groundwater level stable.
Against the backdrop of indiscriminate use of groundwater the NGO Forum organised a workshop on aquifer recharge for the drought-hitzone at the conference hall of the Rajshahi deputy commissioner's office on November 29 last. A report published in this newspaper on December 01 said the speakers at the workshop observed that there is no alternative to conserve groundwater and augment aquifer recharge, particularly in drought-prone areas. They pointed out that the condition of drought-hit Barind tract, consisting of eight upazilas in Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts, has turned critical due to scarcity of water following adverse effect of climate change and other environmental degradations.
Experts at the workshop suggested, as reported in The Financial Express, reasonable use of surface and groundwater to resolve the crisis. They stressed the need for integrated management of the water resource for reducing pressure on aquifers, particularly in drought-prone zone. The main objective of the workshop was to promote the technology of installing aquifer recharge wells.
In fact, alarming fall of groundwater has caused serious concern among the water experts. A study conducted earlier by the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) revealed heavy depletion of aquifer levels. The BADC, a state-run organization, had conducted the study on 416 observation wells.
The BADC findings, appeared in the press, say that north-western Barind region is the worst-hit area as the level of groundwater there fell by three meters during the last six years. The study also finds that the water level in 416 observation wells dipped below the mean sea level during the period between 2004 and 2010.
In rural areas of the country where the growers now depend heavily on groundwater for irrigation because of silted rivers and canals find it difficult to operate deep tubewells for the fall in aquifer level. In many places deep tubewells set up for irrigation have turned totally inoperative. The farmers are, therefore, facing great difficulties in maintaining irrigation for growing crops.
The permanent solution, however, lies with making surface water available for cultivation round the year. In order to achieve this objective excavation of canals, rivers and other water bodies is urgently needed. This is a gigantic task involving   huge expenditures. Therefore, mass awareness campaign should be launched to encourage people to come forward and participate voluntarily in canal and river digging programmes.
As mechanical dredging of rivers is too expensive, the able-bodied rural people can be engaged in excavation projects under food for work programme (FWP). Such a situation relating to fall in groundwater level is not confined to rural areas alone. Cities and towns across the country also face the same problem due to fast depletion of groundwater.
In Dhaka city, alarming fall in groundwater level has prompted the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to embark upon a plan to recharge aquifers with rain water. This is for the first time that Dhaka WASA has taken steps to overcome the crisis arising out of depleting groundwater table which is, according to an estimate, falling at a rate of three meters each year because of widespread use of deep tubewells to meet the growing need of water for an ever-increasing number of townspeople.
The WASA authorities, according to press reports, have taken a plan for massive recharging of aquifers at a minimum cost. It also plans to reduce the dependence on groundwater during the next one decade by installing water treatment plants.
In view of so much dependence on groundwater, the Dhaka WASA undertook a scheme more than five years ago to harvest rain water in the city but the project remained stalled due to bureaucratic bottleneck. Later, the project started on a trial basis.
We know that harvesting of rain water has been proved effective in various countries of the world. During monsoon the Dhaka city experiences rainfall of about 2000 mm. The rain water may be stored on rooftops during this period. About 65% of the city area is paved.
The wetlands around Dhaka have also been filled up by the developers for housing projects. If half of the rooftops in Dhaka city can be utilized for storing water during monsoon the demand of citizens for water supply will be met substantially.
The government may launch mass awareness campaign to encourage people owning existing buildings to make provision for conserving rain water. The rain water thus collected in the rooftops may be supplied to underground tanks through pipes. The owners of old buildings may be provided with loans on easy terms for making provisions to retain rain water on their rooftops.
(khalilbdh@gmail.com)
Integrating groundwater management
Khalilur Rahman | Published: December 07, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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