Making better use of water energy

Md. Sazedul Islam :
March 22 each year is observed as the International World Water Day to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The theme in 2014 is Water and Energy.
The Day tries to remind people about the significance of fresh water and to promote sustainability for fresh water resources’ management.
The first proposal for the establishment of this day was made in 1992 during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). World Water Day was officially assigned to 22 March in 1993 by the United Nations General Assembly.
Water and Energy is directly related to the management of fresh water resources and its impact on health & environment. Under this purview, the UN has chosen the theme ‘Water and Energy’ in observance of this year’s World Water Day. The overall goal of the Day Observance is to raise awareness on the relation of water & water-centric energy and to present different approaches & solution to the policy-makers so that the stakeholders can be aware about water resource management.
Water is required to produce nearly all forms of energy. Energy is needed at all stages of water extraction, treatment and distribution.
Demand for freshwater and energy will continue to increase significantly over the coming decades. This increase will present big challenges and strain resources in nearly all regions, especially in developing and emerging economies.
Choices concerning the supply, distribution, price, and use of water and energy impact one another.
Worldwide, 1.3 billion people cannot access electricity, 768 million people lack access to improved water sources and 2.5 billion people have no improved sanitation. Water and energy have crucial impacts on poverty alleviation.
Better understanding between the two sectors of the connections and effects on each other will improve coordination in energy and water planning, leading to reducing inefficiencies. Policy-makers, planners and practitioners can take steps to overcome the barriers that exist between their respective domains.
Innovative and pragmatic national policies can lead to more efficient and cost effective provision of water and energy services.
Meanwhile, water services are not yet perceived as affordable or financial viable to many, including the poorest.
Affordability and bankability of global public goods, such as energy and water, are a prerequisite for sustainable growth. The energy sector successfully attracts financing from institutional, concessional and ‘green’ private investors.
Water and energy are closely interlinked and interdependent. Energy generation and transmission requires utilization of water resources, particularly for hydroelectric, nuclear, and thermal energy sources. Conversely, about 8% of the global energy generation is used for pumping, treating and transporting water to various consumers.
In Bangladesh, water and sanitation coverage has improved significantly over the years. But national target of achieving improved public health is still far away, and so is the MDG target on water and sanitation.
The recent picture in Bangladesh shows that the supply of water & energy is limited and the demand of water is increasing day by day. To secure the safe water & proper sanitation services for the people living in the country sufficient energy is needed. But the scarcity & misuse of energy often hampers promotion of the services. On the contrary, effective planning and use of water resources can play a strong part in enhancing the production of energy.
In Bangladesh context, the World Water Day 2014 theme holds special significance. Bangladesh has been struggling to uplift its power production. It has progressed quite well in keeping its economic growth steady. As a coastal country, the water, agriculture, health and energy sectors hold huge significance for sustaining the economic growth. Effective planning and use of water resource can play a strong part in enhancing the production of power.
On the other hand, the effective planning and use of energy can play a strong part in protecting our freshwater resource from further pollution and ensuring water and sanitation facilities for all.
The World Water Day 2014 creates an opportunity for us to analyze the areas of water-energy, opportunities and challenges in the sector, prospects.  
Energy resource and water resource are inter-related and inter-dependent. Proper utilization of both the resources are essential for sustainable development.
Energy resource needs to be used at different level from lifting safe water to its use. A huge quantity of water is also required from production and use of energy.
The demand of water resource and energy resource is rising with the rise in population. Equal distribution of water and energy resources should be ensured to meet the needs of different sectors.
Acute crisis of all kinds of energy resources such as power, energy, fuel and gas has been prevailing in inaccessible and backward regions, which intensified the safe water crisis.
About 13 lakh shallow tube-wells are used for lifting underground water across the country whereas it is sufficient to use only eight lakh tube-wells for this purpose. Hence, energy resource, used in colleting water, and lifted water are both misused.
Use of water in energy production and use of energy in water lifting both create negative impact on environment, which intensify climate change process.
In Bangladesh, water is being polluted due to various reasons, including discharge of poisonous chemicals into water bodies and encroachment of rivers. The Buriganga river, located around the Dhaka city, is facing such threat. Misuse of water, lack of proper facility for storing water and environmental degradation are also causing problem in our water sector.
According to NGO Forum for Public Health, despite significant coverage in Bangladesh, a huge number of people are still missing safe water and sanitation facilities not only because it is not there but also because they simply cannot get to it. The crisis is mainly rooted in poverty, power and inequality. It is, first and foremost, a crisis of governance especially in the hard-to-reach areas, and thus governance becomes a key pillar to solving the problem.
Access to safe water for all still a challenge for Bangladesh due to arsenic contamination in 61 districts. Approximately 20 million people are exposed to drinking arsenic contaminated water and 90% of those living in the rural areas. Women are more vulnerable and suffer due to lack of safe water sanitation.
In coastal region, women need to take trip of 622 metres in an average to collect drinking water and spend 38 minutes in an average in the purpose. 99% of diarrhea and 90% of dysentery can be reduced by safe water and sanitation facilities, said the Forum.
People living in hard-to-reach areas suffer from high child mortality rates due to lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene. Rivers in Bangladesh are getting unsuitable of usage and disorderly due to river encroachment and industrial waste dumping. A total of 17 rivers have been lost in the last several years while eight more rivers are heading towards the same way.  
60-70% impacts of climate change are water related.
About 17% extreme poor people are deprived of getting safe water facilities. Access to safe water and sanitation facilities is a basic right of all people.
The NGO Forum, the national body in the water and sanitation sector, said we should make the policy-makers, resource sharing partners, sector professionals and the mass people aware of prospects and challenges of the water-energy issues, and, in turn, step forward to find some effective options to meet the challenges.
(The writer is a journalist )