Dhaka: Water supplied by Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) is contaminated in 59 areas under its 10 zones, according to a report submitted to the High Court on Thursday.

Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) Ministry placed the report prepared by Wasa before the court, the UNB reported.

On May 13, Wasa handed over the report to the LGRD Ministry.

The areas that got polluted water Jatrabari, Basabo, Mugda, Rajarbagh, Kusumbagh, Jurain, Maniknagar, Manda, Dholaipar and Matuail under Zone-1; Bhagalpur, Lalbagh, Bakshibazar and Shahidnagar under Zone-2; Zigatala, Dhanmondi, Sukrabad, Kalabagan, Bhutergali and Mohammadpur under Zone-3; Shewrapara, Pirerbagh, Monipur Paikpara, Kazipara and Mirpur under Zone-4; Mohakhali and Tejgaon under Zone-5; Siddheswari, Shahjahanpur, Khilgaon, Moghbazar, Noyatola, Rampura, Malibagh and Paribagh under Zone-6; Kadamtali, Dhania, Shyampur, Rasulbagh, Merajnagar, Paterbagh, Shanirakhra, Konapara and Muslim Nagar under Zone-7; Badda, Aftabnagar, Bashundhara and Vatara under Zone-8; Uttara, Khilkhet, Fayedabad, Mollartek and Ranavola under Zone-9; and Kafrul, Kazipara, Mirpur, Kachukhet and Pallabi under Zone-10.

Submitting the report, the ministry told the court that they will collect 1,065 water samples from the 10 zones and an amount of Tk 7,561,500 will be required to test those.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam asked Chairman of Dhaka University’s Microbiology Department Prof Sabita Rezwana Rahman to give her opinion on the report before the court on May 21.  

Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Sazu argued for LGRD Ministry, Advocate Tanvir Ahmed moved for the petitioner and M Masud represented Wasa. 

On May 13, the HC expressed discontent as Wasa failed to submit the report after examining its water supplied to different areas and asked the LGRD Ministry to submit a report within May 15 after fixing the expenditure to be required for examining water supplied by Wasa.

The HC order came following a writ petition filed by Advocate Tanvir Ahmed attaching media reports published on the World Bank observations.

On May 8, the High Court ordered the authorities concerned to prepare a list of the areas receiving highly contaminated water supplied by Dhaka Wasa.

On October 11, 2018, the World Bank published a report which says over 7.5 crore people of the country drink unsafe water as 41 percent sources of water contains harmful bacteria. The report also said 13 percent water contains arsenic.

The World Bank report said about 80 percent water supplied through pipeline contains harmful bacteria.

On November 6, 2018, the High Court ordered the authorities concerned to form a five-member committee for examining the Dhaka Wasa water.