Severe water crisis hits 16 Ctg areas due to transmission line damage
According to Chattogram Wasa, during canal excavation for the CDA’s waterlogging project on Monday afternoon, a leak occurred in the main transmission line at the Oxygen-Kuwaish connecting road in the Anannya residential area
A major water crisis has hit Chattogram as the main transmission line of Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) was damaged during the Chattogram Development Authority's canal excavation work, leaving 16 areas without water since Monday afternoon.
On Tuesday, Chattogram Wasa issued a public notice regarding the disruption.
According to Chattogram Wasa, during canal excavation for the CDA's waterlogging project on Monday afternoon, a leak occurred in the main transmission line at the Oxygen-Kuwaish connecting road in the Anannya residential area. As a result, the 9-kilometre-long transmission pipeline with a diameter of 1,200 millimetres had to be shut down, causing a halt in water supply.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Affected areas
Karnaphuli Water Treatment Plant-1 in Rangunia provides 14.3 crore litres of potable water daily via a transmission pipeline to the Nasirabad reservoir in the port city. From there, water is distributed to key areas such as Halishahar, Agrabad, Jamal Khan, Lalkhan Bazar, Madarbari, GEC, Muradpur, Kadamtali, Dhaniwala Para, Nayabazar, Gate No 2, Bayezid, Oxygen, Chawkbazar, Nandan Kanan, and Siraj-ud-Doula Road.
The prolonged water disruption has caused immense hardship, particularly for low-income residents.
Manjurul Haque, a resident of the Jamal Khan area, said, "With the water supply cut off, I'm barely managing by fetching small amounts of water from a neighbour's deep tube well."
Wasa's water supply capacity
Chattogram Wasa has a daily water production capacity of 56 crore litres, sourced from the Madunaghat Water Treatment Plant (9 crore litres), the Karnaphuli Water Treatment Plants 1 and 2 (28.3 crore litres), the Mohra Water Treatment Plant (9 crore litres), and deep tube wells (4 crore litres).
Also, a newly operational water treatment plant in Bhandaljhuri, Boalkhali, has a production capacity of 6 crore litres, supplying water to Boalkhali, Anwara, Patiya, and Karnaphuli upazilas.
Repair costs, compensation
Wasa authorities say repairing the damaged transmission pipeline is expected to cost around Tk20 lakh. For every 24 hours the pipeline remains out of service, Chattogram Wasa incurs water production losses of approximately Tk45.76 lakh.
Consequently, Chattogram Wasa has demanded compensation from the CDA's project contractor, the Engineering Brigade of the Bangladesh Army.
Speaking to The Business Standard, Maksud Alam, the chief engineer of Chattogram Wasa, said, "There was a thick concrete layer over the pipeline under the canal. It has been under excavation for the past three days."
He added, "Once the concrete is removed, the damaged section of the pipe will be cut out and replaced. We are working to restore the supply by tonight (20 February)."
