Dhaka, July 31:  It is nearly mid-night and a teenager with an ashen face is standing in a queue holding a water container in her hand, at a water pump in the city’s Malibagh area. She is Shamira Khatun (17), a garment worker who is waiting to collect drinking water from the pump after a hard day’s work as the contaminated water of Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is not drinkable. She says that as a woman she has had to face huge difficulties in collecting water, as there is no alternative way to collect drinkable water. Sometimes she has to pay money to pump operators.

Abdul Halim (22), a rickshaw puller hailing from Dinajpur, said the access to safe drinking water remains a dream for the poor city dwellers and most do not have access to basic civic amenities.

“As we’re poor, we can’t afford to buy drinking water. We have to drink the contaminated water supplied by WASA,” he said adding that he has fallen sick drinking this contaminated water.

The rapid population growth as seen in Dhaka, is putting considerable pressure on heath and other services such as water supply, sewage and solid waste management, making it difficult to keep pace with increasing demands of an urban population for basic services.

Many of the poor do not have access to civic amenities and they are also victimised when it comes to access to water resources.  When the poor have to pay more than others to buy water, it becomes a violation of human rights.

Amina Khatun, a resident of Malibagh slum, said that a muscleman controls the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) connection to the slum.  A family must pay Taka 200 per month to the man to get water.

“This is true that poor buy water at high price as they have no legal connection to WASA. They have to buy water though a middlemen,” said Engr M Rafiqul Islam, executive engineer of WASA.

He said WASA is supplying water by extracting underground water using 590 pumps. “The underground water is clean. It is contaminated during delivery through the pipelines. Organizing the pipelines for distributing safe water is an ongoing process.”

There is water everywhere but often it feels like that there is not a drop of water to drink. The unsafe water is putting the health of the poor at risk everyday. They have fallen ill to water related diseases by unsafe drinking water.

Marking the World Water Day, Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque at a function said: “I am deeply concerned about the pathogens present in the water supply. The biological and chemical contaminations of our precious water sources are also making our people suffer.”

He said diarrhoea has become a common disease among the children living in urban areas and the under-five child morality in urban slums remains high due to drinking unsafe water.

“The situation is heart breaking and it is high time to take steps to improve access to safe drinking water for the urban poor. Of course, improvement in sanitation conditions and hygienic practices should go hand in hand for better health,” says Dr. Haque.

He as a physician also stressed the need for checking if the country’s population has basic services including safe drinking water and hygienic sanitation for all.

Eminent economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said the poor are deprived of all amenities including access to safe drinking water, gas and power connection due to lack of permanent dwellings.

“Population is increasing fast, but the facilities are not expending to keep pace with the population growth. The gap between the rich and poor is also increasing gradually,’ he said

Dr Ahmad urged the government to take effective step for ensuring safe drinking water for poor city dwellers as a part of implementing the Government’s “Vision 2021” and to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Referring to the water supply of Dhaka WASA, water expert and eminent environmentalist Dr Ainun Nishat, suggested replacing the WASA pipe system to ensure safe and clean drinking water for city dwellers. Access to safe drinking water is a human right, and the government should work sincerely to ensure safe drinking water for all.