Jashore municipal's water treatment plants lie idle for decades

Three water treatment plants in Jashore municipality have been lying unused for over three decades even as city residents have been suffering for lack of potable water.

Locals said there is so much iron in the water supplied by Jashore municipality that they cannot drink it. They cannot even use it for washing clothes because it turns them yellow.

BM Kamal Ahmed, assistant engineer (mechanical) of Jashore municipality, told TBS that the three water treatment plants were set up at a cost of around Tk4 crore in 1990. He claimed that there is not much iron in the area's water and "the treatment plants are quite expensive to operate". So, the municipality authorities pump up water with a deep tube well and supply that to customers directly, he said.

On condition of anonymity, a retired engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering told TBS, "As far as I know the level of iron in Jashore municipality's water is 1-3 ppm (parts per million). Three water treatment plants were built to clean the water, but for some mysterious reasons they have not been used even for a day."

Currently, the municipality is supplying water to around 15,000 customers, he added.

A source at the municipality office said there were over 19,000 water supply subscribers even a few years ago, but due to the poor water quality, many have voluntarily disconnected their supply lines. Besides, the municipal authorities have also snapped some connections due to bill arrears.

Gholam Mustafa, a resident of Shankarpur Golpata area of the municipality, said, "I have to buy a Vixol (a brand of cleaner) every week to clean the water tank, but still get yellow and dirty water.

"Moreover, I have to hire a plumber for Tk500 every couple of months to clean the conduits. If you see what comes out when he cleans the pipes, you will say it is nothing but a ball of dung."

Another Jashore municipality resident, Rafiqul Islam, said clothes turn yellow due to excess iron in the water. If the water is kept in pitchers and bottles, it turns black within a day or two, which means there is a high level of iron in the water.

"We cannot even wash the dishes with the municipality's water. That is why I have stopped using it. Now we are using tube well water," he said.

Locals said the equipment in the water treatment plants was ruined as the municipal authorities were indifferent to maintenance of the facilities.

Sabbir Hossain, a resident of the Collegepara area in the municipality, said, "There is almost no water in tube wells during the months of March and April. At that time we are forced to use the water supplied by the municipality.

"My white cows turn yellow when I bathe them with the water supplied by the municipality. I take so much care of the cattle, but still face problems due to the unclean water," he said.

According to sources, over five lakh people live in the Jashore municipality area, a small number of whom have access to safe water. A large number of slum dwellers and people with limited income depend on the municipality's water.

Jashore Municipality Mayor Haider Gani Khan Palash could not be reached over phone for comments regarding the matter despite several attempts.

Regarding the issue, Jashore Municipality Panel Mayor Rokeya Parveen Dolly told TBS, "I cannot say why the water treatment plants are closed without inquiring into the matter."