Amid the outbreak of diarrhea in the city, the Managing Director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) Taqsem A Khan has urged the users to drink water after boiling it.

“Only 5% to 10% of water lines have leakages. When we get any complaint we repair those. But the problem still remains. I myself got a foul smell in the water in my Naya Paltan residence. That’s why we urge people to drink boiled water,” he said.  

The WASA boss was speaking at a function that discussed the demand of city dwellers and the capability of DWASA, organised by Dhaka Utility Reporters Association (DURA),  at  National Press Club.

He said the number of breached lines is not many. But when people see any digging going on roads they think it is the line of WASA that contaminates the water, claimed Taqsem.

Replying to a question, he said it is  responsibility of the utility to reach the water to the tank but it is not our responsibility to reach it to each line of the buildings. If there is any problem in WASA water we scrutinise it after collecting samples from three places. One is from the pump, the second is from the area from where we receive the complaint and the third one is from the pipeline of the respective houses.

READ: Dhaka Wasa moves to raise water tariff by 40%

Following the rise in diarrhea patients in Dhaka, many people blamed the contaminated water of WASA behind the outbreak.

Taqsem said when diarrhea outbreak is on the rise, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) provided the address of ten areas where the number of diarrhea patients was high.

"We collected water from these areas and sent them for lab testing. But we do not get any bacteria from the water samples.”

Besides, DWASA used chlorine to destroy bacteria found in its water,  he said.

Asked  about the proposed  hike of water tariff, Taqsem said “We have informed the higher authorities concerned about it and the government will take a decision on it.”