Lack of internet dries up Wasa water ATMs, over 4 lakh customers struggle

Over four lakh city dwellers are facing difficulty in collecting drinking water from Dhaka Wasa's water ATM booths due to the internet service disruptions.

Dhaka Wasa supplies about 15 lakh litres of water at Tk0.80 per litre daily via 250 booths at various locations across the city. Services at these booths have been suspended as payment cards are not working without internet.

Notices reading, "Water supply is suspended at the booth due to lack of internet. Supply will resume after internet services comes back," were seen hung at the booths in various areas including Mirpur, Shewrapara, Agargaon, Farmgate, Mohakhali, Motijheel and Banglamotor for the last three days.

Agargaon resident Asadujjaman, a regular buyer at Wasa's water booth, told TBS, "I used to collect water from here for my family every two-three days. For the last four days I have had to buy mineral water."

"Tk100 worth of water used to last us a week, but now I have to spend over Tk200 per day for drinking water. The shops also have limited amount of mineral water supply," he added.

Johra Khatun, a resident of Farmgate area, said that they are now forced to drink water from Wasa's piped supply after boiling to make it drinkable.

"As our gas supply is pre-paid metred, so we are also limiting its usage. Even after boiling, piped water is causing stomach aches for many. Curfew added with the water supply shortage is making it hard to continue living," she said.

Agargaon-1 water booth Operator Humayoun Kabir told TBS, "Our services has been suspended due to the lack of internet. Some 400-500 people used to collect drinking water from our booth daily. Many crowded the both these last few days but we are helpless. Many use water from our booths to run their hotel, restaurant businesses."

Dhaka Wasa started their drinking water supply at minimal rate initiative in a private-public collaboration with US based project "Drinkwell" at 330 locations back in 2017.

Currently, over four lakh registered customers collect water from 250 of these booths that are operational around the city.

While the number of customers have increased significantly in the last few years, they are now facing hardships due to the internet service disruptions.

Drinkwell has also set up water ATMs in Chattogram and Rajshahi, however, supply is also stalled in those cities due to lack of internet services.

Drinkwell official Md Ismail Hossen told TBS, "Our booths were operational till Thursday evening, but services were disrupted due to lack of internet connectivity. The booths are operated via cards using internet connection in such a way that we cannot supply water manually. It will ruin the water quality."

He assured that water supply will resume as soon as internet connectivity is back.

Dhaka Wasa also supplies piped water to households across the city. However, city dwellers consider piped water unsafe as they sometimes get contaminated due to leakage and unclean pipes.