Compliance of Legal Restrictions in Potable Water Abstraction in Rajshahi WASA Area: An Overview

Abstract

The ground water level in Barind area Rajshahi rise and falls continuously with the advance of wet and dry season. A growing population, urbanization, increasing pressure on land and water resources by different competing usage and degradation of scarce resources challenge the extraction, management and protection of the water resources of Rajshahi as well as all over the Bangladesh. Agriculture is the major water using sector for ground water irrigation with rice cultivation, the single most important activity in the economy. Industry is also liable for large scale water withdrawal. Due to water level depletion ‘deep tube well’ especially submersible pump is randomly used in many of the houses in Rajsahi WASA area. Apart from agriculture, presently uncontrolled water abstraction for domestic or household purposes causes serious threats to sustainable ground water management. Due to this excessive stress upon the ground water resource, the yield capacity is being reduced and the need to conserve them is now generally recognized. Some of the legislations have clear guidelines and restrictions on personal source of ground water abstractions. National water policy, 1999 stressed the need for the protection of surface water and groundwater resources. WASA Act, 1996; Water Act, 2013; Local Govt. Act 2009 are the major instruments in this respect. This study has been an attempt to review the relevant laws regarding restrictions on domestic water abstraction and to examine through field survey the real scenario how far these are being complied with.