A nation that cannot consistently provide its people with safe drinking water is unlikely to ever achieve true progress. A recent report in Science magazine reveals that nearly 840 million people out of the world’s 8 billion population lack access to safe drinking water. Half of these individuals consume water contaminated with bacteria such as E. coli. The study further highlights that half of these 440 million people reside in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Safe water is a fundamental human right. The United Nations has been tracking global progress towards this goal since 2015. While initial assessments focused on the availability of water sources, later studies delved deeper into water quality. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, set in 2015, aimed to provide universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water by 2030.
Subsequent assessments by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, under their Joint Monitoring Programme, have introduced more specific targets, including improved water sources, proximity to safe water, and regular supply. In 2020, these organizations reported that approximately 2.2 billion people still lacked access to safe drinking water.
According to various reports from the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF, 98% of people in Bangladesh have access to some source of water; however, not all of it is potable. The sources of clean water in Bangladesh are also becoming increasingly polluted. A World Bank study has found that 80% of water supplied through pipelines contains the harmful bacterium E. coli. The same level of bacteria has been found in pond water. Various reports have cited the lack of proper sanitation as a major cause of water pollution.
Analysts say that the rapid depletion of the groundwater level is one of the main reasons for the shortage of safe drinking water in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh. The increasing demand for water is one of the main reasons for this. And the rate at which the groundwater level is falling is not being replenished. Although the groundwater level in most parts of Bangladesh returns to normal during the rainy season, experts say that the groundwater level in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, the Barind region of Rajshahi, and some coastal areas of the country does not return to normal. The reason is that the population is very high in these areas and the demand for water is also the highest, which is why the shortage of safe drinking water is increasing in these areas.
Many wise men predicted long ago that the future wars would be fought over water. One part of this water is for agriculture, and the other part is for safe drinking water, without which a healthy life is not possible. Experts say that climate change must also be considered in the context of the safe water crisis. Consuming unsafe water means knowingly inviting stomach problems. All our development efforts will fail if we cannot ensure safe water for the larger population.
