The High Court (HC) has directed Dhaka Water Supply and Sewage Authority (WASA) to resolve the issue of contaminated water as soon as possible and supply pure water to the residents.

“We want water, pure water,” the bench of justices JBM Hassan and Khairul Alam observed after hearing a petition on Wednesday (Jul 24).

Barrister AM Masum moved for WASA while Md Tanvir Ahmed represented the petitioners.

Previously, on Jul 7, a four-member probe body formed by the HC submitted a report to the court showing that water supplied to all 10 zones by WASA are contaminated with bacteria.

WASA counsel AM Masum said that they have implemented some of the recommendations made by the committee in the report that found faecal coliform bacteria in the water samples.

“We have sent our water to be tested at ICCDRB and BUET labs,” he said and added that they have so far received the reports of one area.

Responding to the petitioner counsel’s argument that the reports were to be submitted to the court on Wednesday, he said that they are still waiting on the report for Mirpur zone they will receive on Sunday (Jul 28).

The court then fixed Jul 30 as the next hearing date.

On May 16, the local government and rural development (LGRD) ministry filed a report through the attorney general’s office saying that 59 areas under the 10 zones was more contaminated.

In April, several residents of Jurain in protest arrived at the WASA Bhaban in Karwan Bazar with lemons, sugar, and a jar of murky water which they said was supplied by the WASA.

The tried to make WASA Managing Director Taqsem A Khan to drink the lemonade as days before he had claimed that WASA water was completely safe for drinking.