Harvesting and storing rainwater can significantly reduce the dependency on groundwater, the level of which is receding by 1 metre to 3 metres every year in the capital, said speakers at a discussion yesterday.
Saving rainwater for future use and injecting it underground can also solve the problem of acute water shortage prevailing in the country's urban areas, they said.
WaterAid Bangladesh, a UK-based charity promoting safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, and RAiN Forum, a platform for knowledge sharing and promotion of rainwater, jointly organised the discussion as a part of a daylong programme to celebrate the first day of Bangla month “Asher” at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital.
WaterAid Director (Policy and Advocacy) Partha Hefaz Shaikh said, “In the city, people do all kinds of things with Wasa water, which is supposed to be our drinking water.”
“With a few low-cost modifications to our buildings, rainwater falling on our roof can be used for various purposes, and injected back to the ground,” he said.
Urging the government to take necessary steps for saving groundwater, WaterAid Country Representative Md Khairul Islam said the issue of harvesting rainwater should be incorporated in Bangladesh National Building Code.
Meanwhile, speakers at a seminar in Chittagong city yesterday stressed the need for carrying out motivational and awareness raising programmes on rainwater harvesting to reduce the increasing water crisis in the country, reports our Chittagong correspondent.
WaterAid Bangladesh and Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK) jointly organised the seminar titled “Let's Start Rainwater Harvesting” at the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh, Chittagong marking “Rain Day”.