Sylhet faces acute water shortage as supply meets less than half of city demand
Photo Collected
Sylhet city is facing a severe potable water crisis, with municipal authorities struggling to meet less than half of the daily demand for its nearly one million residents. While the city’s 42 wards require 120 million liters of water daily, the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) is currently able to supply only 45 million liters.
The discrepancy between supply and demand is most acute in the city’s newly incorporated areas. According to official data, the 15 wards added to the corporation in 2021, alongside three older wards, have a combined daily requirement of 70 million liters. However, these areas remain almost entirely disconnected from the municipal water network. Even in the original 24 wards, where the network is established, the daily supply of 45 million liters falls short of the 50 million liters required by the city’s 20,054 registered customers. Residents argue that the actual water demand significantly exceeds these official estimates.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The situation is exacerbated by chronic power instability. Because the water distribution system relies heavily on electric pumps, frequent load-shedding prevents the corporation from maintaining its delivery schedule. In many neighborhoods, including Kalapara and Sheikhghat, residents report receiving water only once a day, and often irregularly. In response to the persistent shortage, many households have been forced to install private deep tube wells to secure a consistent supply of water.
Residents in newly integrated areas, such as Majortila, have expressed deep frustration over the lack of basic infrastructure, noting that despite being part of the city for three years, no effort has been made to extend the municipal water lines. The instability of the current system is further aggravated by illegal water connections, which critics say undermine the efficiency of the already overstretched network.
বিজ্ঞাপন
In an interview with *Prothom Alo*, Assistant Engineer Enamul Haque Tapadar maintained that the city is not facing an acute crisis, pointing to the reliance on private tube wells as a supplementary source. However, city officials acknowledge the need for infrastructure expansion. Plans are currently underway to construct a new water treatment plant at the Chengerkhal River, a project authorities claim has cleared all preliminary hurdles.
Sylhet City Corporation administrator Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury, who assumed office in February, stated that addressing the water deficit is a top priority. He confirmed that the municipality is finalizing plans for a new treatment plant and is also exploring the Kushiyara River as an additional water source. Once these projects are operational, the administration expects to provide comprehensive coverage across all 42 wards, aiming to match supply with the city’s growing demographic needs.
0%
0%
0%
0%
