DWASA to bring city's pumps under dual connections

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The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) has undertaken a plan to bring all 538 pumps in the city under dual connections to mitigate sufferings of the people in the upcoming summer season, DWASA source said, reports BSS.
Under the move, as many as 30 water pumps have already been brought under the dual connections and more 80 pumps would have dual connections within a couple of days, deputy managing director of DWASA Dr Eng M Liakat Ali told the news agency.
The dual connections are being made under the two connecting authorities- Dhaka Electric Supply Company Ltd (DESCO) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC).
Asked about the preparations for water supply in the upcoming summer, Dr Liakat said this year's preparations are better than past as the people would be able to get relief to a great extent from water crisis with the introduction of dual connections.
Although there is always a demand and supply gap of water, the DWASA is now able to supply drinking water for 12.0 million (1.2 crore) city dwellers officially and unofficially the volume of beneficiaries would be 15.0 million, said DWASA DMD.
To reduce the gap, he said, the authority is expecting to start the second phase of Sayedabad Water Treatment Plant worth Tk 11.50 billion next month.
When completed, the phase two project would provide 225 million litres of water, which is 10 per cent of total demand for water in the metropolis.
Presently, the DWASA can provide the city dwellers with, on an average, nearly 1.85 to 1.87 billion litres against the total demand for 2.25 billion litres.
Quoting experts, Eng Liakat said the water deficit is now stood at 400 million litres and it will increase to 530 million litres by the next five years.
Deep tubewells are being decreased with the gradual reduction in underground water level every year as a result of over extraction of ground waters.
For an instance, demand for water could not be met now at the city's Mirpur as its upper aquifer has become dry.
The dependency of water on both underground and rivers has to be 50:50 ratio within the next five years for the existing 47:13 and in doing so rivers must be freed from pollution first, experts said.