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Reuse, reserve and recycle water to increase efficiency
***In conversation with DrAinun Nishat, Adviser, Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research, BRAC University.***
What is the current state of rivers in Bangladesh?
There are hundreds of rivers in the northern and central part of the country which have been allowed to be silted up. At present, river encroachment and siltation have emerged as big problems across the country. Additionally, excessive river water is being pumped for the purpose of irrigation. Moreover, the rivers in the southern part are facing an issue of salinity due to the impact of climate change and sea level rise.
The first and foremost thing we can do is restore the river to its original form through the process of desilting and dredging. Instead of dredging, we can use manual desilting process for small rivers. Large rivers may require mechanical dredging. We need to establish a modus operand! to restore rivers back to their original form.
Since cities are becoming more urbanised, what impact is it having on the efficient use of water? In most of the towns, ground water is used for water supply and sanitation. However, surface water should be used for water supply and sanitation instead of groundwater.
Establishing area-based local water treatment plants can be a good solution. Furthermore, if we develop a well-designed sewerage system in the urban areas, it would be possible to recycle the water for further use.
Slums are very congested and are always in need of water supply. At present, the price of water is pretty much the same in both residential and slum areas. In fact, the amount of water spent by a household in residential areas to wash cars can possibly support 10 families in a slum. So, the price of water should be maintained based on affordability. A change in the pricing system will increase water efficiency and allow slum dwellers to have access to water at an affordable rate.
How can we ensure better access to water in water-scarce regions? For the CHT, the small rivulets are sufficient to cany water throughout the year. But due to deforestation, the water-holding capacity in the ground has dwindled significantly. As a result, many of the rivulets have begun to run out of water, especially in the summer. Therefore, we should go for watershed management in order to increase the moisture-holding capacity of the soil. Additionally, the small fountains and waterfalls should be protected to ensure a constant supply of water.
In the drought-prone region, we need to build a mechanism for storing rainwater, particularly across the northern region. We should implement this mechanism for the southern region as well to avoid the issues associated with groundwater salinity.
How can water be used more efficiently in our everyday lives? For industrial areas, Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPsl should be
the preferable option because they are designed to purify industrial wastewater for its reuse.
If we change the frequency of irrigation and go for the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method, we can improve water efficiency and replace the usual system of maintaining continuous standing water in the crop fields.
The level of groundwater is going down due to excessive extraction. We can extract groundwater through two pump systems: suction mode pump and force mode pump. Suction mode pump limits the extraction up to 8 metres whereas with force mode pump, we can extract an unlimited amount of water. We should evaluate the recharge potential and then decide on pumping water. As of today, there is no regulation on the extraction of groundwater.
Full version of the interview is available in The Daily Star website.