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From a bird’s-eye view, Gabura Union in southwest Bangladesh’s Khulna division seems a mosaic of shimmering blue, nestled between the vast Kholpatua river and the once-mighty Kapotakkha river. Tracing the edges of this island union’s boundary on foot, and even cutting through the 33 square kilometre landmass, one can barely walk for five minutes without encountering a waterbody.
Yet, beneath this deceptive abundance lies a stark reality: The 40,000 residents of Gabura have to buy every drop of water they drink during the summer months and many days throughout the year.
Md Rahamatullah, a researcher at the South Asian University, visited Gabura in January 2024 and again in June, two of the driest months for the region.
His extensive fieldwork revealed the various layers of this crisis and indicated the need for a structural, long-term solution, rather than quick fixes.
The source of their plight is not a lack of water, but the salinity that has rendered much of it undrinkable. Floodwater ingress from frequent cyclones has destroyed the water in many of their ponds, transforming what should be a vital resource into a toxic mix of salt and contaminants. This issue is compounded by brackish water seeping into land and aquifers from the numerous shrimp ponds, known locally as ghers, that has become the mainstay of their economy, Rahamatullah observed.
Till the vagaries of the weather overpowered them, the residents of Gabura’s 15 villages were profitable farmers. But cyclones like Sidr in 2007 and Aila in 2009 permanently submerged their low-lying paddy fields in seawater, leaving most of them with no choice but to cultivate shrimp and crabs in their ‘cropland turned ghers’ for a living.
Speaking with Rahamatullah, Saiful Hasan, a 45-year-old shrimp farmer, described his transition from cultivating paddy on four bighas of land to operating shrimp ponds. Despite earning more from shrimp, Hasan faces a grim reality: His family struggles to secure a consistent supply of safe drinking water.
This shift to shrimp farming, while economically beneficial, perpetuates the very crisis they are struggling to overcome.
The soil in the dryland also turned sodic, affecting agricultural production and eventually became fallow. This has pushed many other farmers like Hasan to ditch paddy cultivation in favour of shrimp or crab production.
The Bangladesh government has also been promoting shrimp as a lucrative export commodity. But many of the shrimp ponds in the country’s southern districts operate without a licence and redirect the saline river water into their ponds, exacerbating the salinity problem in the surroundings.
As one of the world’s top shrimp exporters, Bangladesh benefits economically, but the environmental and social costs are profound.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Aila, the villagers initially found respite through Pond Sand Filters (PSF) and rainwater harvesting. PSFs, designed to purify water by passing it through a sand bed, became a popular choice among non-profits and state agencies aiming to alleviate the water crisis, Rahamatullah observed.
However, these systems have proven inadequate over time. Regular maintenance, which was often left to the locals, fell by the wayside, and the increasing salinity levels soon overwhelmed the filters. According to recent reports, there are only 19 safe drinking water ponds in Gabura and all have PSFs. But these systems are now largely ineffective, locals told the researcher.
Efforts by the Department of Public Health Engineering and non-profits like Brotee, LEDARS and Friendship have included excavating and re-excavating ponds, installing PSFs and tubewells, and distributing plastic water tanks for rainwater harvesting. Yet, the costs associated with these services remain a burden for many villagers, although some non-profits have provided water tanks on a loan basis.
Desalination efforts have also been explored as a solution. But desalinated water costs 10 taka (about $0.10) for 20 litres, according to a social worker quoted by news website The New Humanitarian. This can become a financial burden for those trying to make ends meet with vanishing income sources.
Bondhu Foundation’s water supply system, introduced in 2010 with initial funding from a GIZ project, covers four kilometres with 17 solar-powered water taps. Each household pays 20 taka per month, but complaints about water quality persist.
Reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment plants were also installed to address the crisis. However, RO systems have faced criticism for demineralisation and significant water wastage, Rahamatullah found during his field visits.
The situation is further complicated by arsenic and iron contamination. Arsenic, a natural groundwater pollutant, poses severe health risks. Attempts to address this through tubewells have often failed due to the high cost of deep wells and challenging geological conditions. Iron contamination, prevalent in the region, renders water from many tubewells unsuitable for consumption and domestic use, causing issues such as sticky hair and discoloured cooking utensils.
Recent studies paint a dire picture of the salinity crisis. According to a groundwater quality report from December 2022, Satkhira, where Gabura is located, is the most saline district in Bangladesh. Ashashuni and Shyamnagar Upazilas, in particular, have the highest salinity levels, severely impacting freshwater fish farming and crop production.
A study published in the journal Nature Springer in October 2023 found that 74 per cent of Satkhira is affected by high and moderate salinity, with Ashashuni and Shyamnagar being the most severely impacted.
Additionally, a groundwater drought assessment in April 2024 revealed a total normalised water deficit greater than two metres for several wells in Kalaroa Upazila.
The wet season, previously lasting over two months from Asharh to Shrabon in the Bengali calendar (June to mid-August), has significantly shortened, exacerbating the challenges faced by farmers.
Research by the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh has highlighted alarmingly high miscarriage rates in the village of Chakaria near Cox’s Bazaar in the southeast Chattogram division, suggesting a link between saline water consumption and adverse reproductive health outcomes. Ongoing studies in the Sundarbans region aim to investigate further connections between salinity, fertility, and serious health issues such as uterine cancer and skin problems.
Amidst this crisis, local residents have called for more sustainable solutions. They advocated for the construction of permanent embankments to protect freshwater sources from saline intrusion.
They also demanded government subsidies for plastic water tanks to facilitate rainwater harvesting and the installation of RO water treatment plants.
The community believes that access to safe drinking water should be a basic right, free of cost, with the government responsible for installation, maintenance, and management.
The Water Development Board’s Coastal Embankment Improvement Project aims to address these needs through improved embankments, switch gates and canal management.
The water crisis in Gabura Union not only threatens physical health but exacerbates social inequality. Kohinur, a local resident, walks several hours daily to fetch water, a task that prevents her from pursuing income-generating activities. This burden reinforces economic disparity and limits opportunities for women and girls.
In contrast, families who can afford to purchase water face significant financial strain, diverting resources from other essential needs. This dual impact underscores the profound connection between water access, gender inequality, and economic instability in Gabura.