Chronic Water Shortages Grip Chittagong Residents Despite Massive Utility Investment
Photo Collected
Residents of the Foys Lake area in Chittagong are facing an acute water crisis, forcing thousands to rely on expensive private suppliers despite holding legal connections to the city’s water utility, Chittagong WASA. For many, including Shamsul Kabir, a resident of Abdul Hamid Road, the daily routine begins with the futile task of checking taps for a supply that rarely flows. Kabir, who manages a five-story building, reports that his tenants have received water only twice in the last three months, despite his consistent payment of monthly utility bills.
The situation has turned water into a premium commodity in this hilly region, home to major landmarks such as the Chittagong Zoo and several commercial institutions. Local residents describe a desperate landscape where some are forced to spend up to 20,000 taka monthly to purchase water from private deep tube well owners, who charge exorbitant rates for access. With roughly one lakh people impacted by the shortage, members of local housing associations have filed multiple written complaints with WASA, yet site inspections by engineers have failed to yield a resolution.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Beyond the immediate frustration, the crisis has drastically inflated the cost of living for middle-class families. Residents report that household expenses have surged by thousands of taka monthly as they navigate a dependency on water tankers and alternative suppliers. The crisis is further exacerbated by a dropping water table; residents and local experts note that even deep tube wells reaching 400 feet are no longer yielding consistent results, a trend widely attributed to rapid urbanization, hill cutting, and the destruction of natural reservoirs.
Chittagong WASA has invested approximately 8,800 crore taka across eight major infrastructure projects over the past 15 years in an attempt to bolster supply. However, the operational reality for those in Foys Lake remains stark. Chief Engineer Md. Maksud Alam acknowledged the deficit, noting that while the area requires 50 lakh liters of water daily, current supply levels sit at roughly half that amount. He cited the area’s rugged, elevated topography as a primary obstacle, explaining that low-lying customers often draw the supply before it can reach higher elevations.
বিজ্ঞাপন
While WASA officials point to a forthcoming 4,000-crore taka project funded by the World Bank—with an expected completion date of December 2030—advocacy groups argue that the mismanagement is a systemic failure. S.M. Nazer Hossain, vice president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), criticized the utility for its lack of foresight and failure to implement timely, effective solutions. As residents continue to receive utility bills for services they cannot access, frustration mounts over what many describe as a long-term administrative inability to address a critical public necessity.
0%
0%
0%
0%
