Chattogram city requires over 60 crore liters of water daily, but Chattogram WASA only produces around 50 crore liters. Due to climate change, the water flow in Kaptai Lake has decreased, leading to an alarming increase in salinity levels in the Halda and Karnaphuli rivers. During high tide, the salinity increases, causing WASA to halt water production. As there is no alternative source, the supply fails to meet the demand, leaving residents, especially during crucial times like Sehri and Iftar in Ramadan, facing severe water shortages.

WASA produces 46 crore liters daily through four projects in the region, relying on the Halda and Karnaphuli rivers. However, the reduced water flow from Kaptai Lake has impacted these projects. With four out of five units at the Kaptai hydroelectric plant shut down, the saline water from the Bay of Bengal has entered the rivers, further reducing WASA’s production capacity. In Ranguinia, the Karnaphuli Water Supply Project, which used to produce 28 crore liters daily, now produces only 23 to 25 crore liters due to salinity and algae. Similarly, the Madunaghat and Mohora projects, which had a combined production capacity of 18 crore liters, now only produce 12 to 13 crore liters daily.

Currently, the water in the rivers contains 2,100 to 2,300 milligrams of salinity per liter, which is more than eight times the acceptable limit of 250 milligrams set by the World Health Organization. This excessive salinity has led to daily production cuts of around 10 crore liters, affecting areas from Chawkbazar to Patenga. According to WASA’s chief engineer, Nurul Amin, the water production capacity has decreased to 40 to 41 crore liters, but this problem won’t resolve without alternative measures or rainfall. Despite facing this crisis for several years, no significant steps have been taken to address the issue.