Dhaka WASA supplies 100pc drinkable water, MD claims

The state-owned water supplier, Dhaka WASA, has claimed it supplies completely drinkable water to the households in the capital.

Dhaka WASA Managing Director Taqsem A Khan came up with the claim at a news conference on Saturday in reaction to a recent report of Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB), reports bdnews24.com.

About 91 per cent of households in Dhaka burn 3.32 billion of gas annually to boil water before drinking, according to the study released by TIB on April 17.

"This TIB report has no scientific basis,” Khan said, terming the study “unprofessional, concocted and a bid to belittle WASA’s image”.

“Dhaka WASA’s water is 100 per cent drinkable in World Health Organization standard. This information (TIB report) is totally hypothetical and unrealistic. Not all of 17.2 million residents of Dhaka boil water to drink because they don’t need to do so,” he added.

About 62 per cent of the service seekers from the state-run utility company were the victims of irregularities, harassment and corruption, the TIB study found.

Khan refuted allegations of corruption brought in the report. "There is no scope for irregularities as the users can apply online for connection now. And all water meters of Dhaka WASA will be automated."

The study was carried out using samples collected between April last year and March of this year from residential, commercial, industrial and slum areas under 10 WASA zones.

“Supplied water is drinkable in many countries of the world. The water can even be directly consumed in many Asian countries. But we cannot think of doing it in Bangladesh,” TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said while publishing the findings of the study.