Solving drinking water crisis in Bangladesh
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Our Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) probably have not pondered the possibility of converting the sea water into drinkable water for mass use. We are fortunately located next to a sea with all the water we could possibly use. Many countries in the Middle East are using this method to solve their drinking or sweet water crisis. We could do the same.
On my online search I also found a paper titled "Feasibility study of renewable energy powered seawater desalination technology using natural vacuum technique" that could give us some clue on how we could harness solar power to desalinate sea water for drinking and daily use. Another topic asked, "Simple, cheap device for making sea-water drinkable and no-one wants it?" A recent report in The Daily Star said: "Battery-power desalination device offers hope to parched areas".
Bangladesh could explore this for implementation. While looking into these options we also need to make diplomatic efforts at the United Nations (UN) to get India to sit for a negotiation on international river water sharing with Bangladesh. We need the water flowing in our rivers to keep our lands fertile and avoid aridity and desertification. This is a matter of great importance as we may find ourselves in a sudden food shortage for not having fertile cultivatable lands with enough water to support our agriculture and fisheries.
We need to take the matter of depletion of our underground water resources very seriously. We could easily tap and purify saline water resources to solve our growing water crisis as well as re-fill the underground to maintain an ecological balance and prevent natural disaster.
Sayed Javed Ahmad
javedahmad@yahoo.com
On my online search I also found a paper titled "Feasibility study of renewable energy powered seawater desalination technology using natural vacuum technique" that could give us some clue on how we could harness solar power to desalinate sea water for drinking and daily use. Another topic asked, "Simple, cheap device for making sea-water drinkable and no-one wants it?" A recent report in The Daily Star said: "Battery-power desalination device offers hope to parched areas".
Bangladesh could explore this for implementation. While looking into these options we also need to make diplomatic efforts at the United Nations (UN) to get India to sit for a negotiation on international river water sharing with Bangladesh. We need the water flowing in our rivers to keep our lands fertile and avoid aridity and desertification. This is a matter of great importance as we may find ourselves in a sudden food shortage for not having fertile cultivatable lands with enough water to support our agriculture and fisheries.
We need to take the matter of depletion of our underground water resources very seriously. We could easily tap and purify saline water resources to solve our growing water crisis as well as re-fill the underground to maintain an ecological balance and prevent natural disaster.
Sayed Javed Ahmad
javedahmad@yahoo.com