In the absence of easy access to an adequate surface water supply, underground aquifers are being randomly tapped. Ground water is being over-used and is not being adequately replenished. At present, an estimated 75% of Dhaka's water supply is from surface water flows and some 25% of the water supply is being obtained through tube-wells. Excessive use of groundwater is a serious threat to the environment. Therefore, new initiatives should be undertaken to improve the quantity of supply from surface water.

The present water supply is adequate for only 75% of the city’s population. It is expected that the city’s population may increase to 12 million by the year 2005 and 15.5 million by 2010. The demand for water will be 200 crore and 250 crore litre per day by 2005 and 2010 respectively. The present demand for water within the city corporation area stands at about 150 crore litre per day, but the actual supply stands at about 110 crore litre per day. Therefore, to alleviate the present problems and to improve the water supply in the future:

• The City Corporation must coordinate and cooperate with the DWASA to increase the water supply by expeditiously completing the projects at Kalyanpur and Saidabad, and undertaking new projects to meet the projected increase in demands.
• The City Corporation should expedite the construction of the Pagla Water Treatment Plant and its commissioning earlier than scheduled.
• The City Corporation should also undertake, in coordination with the Dhaka WASA, to check the water quality in every ward on a daily basis.
• The City Corporation should coordinate and cooperate with various government agencies to plan increased access to surface water flows and reservoirs so that dependence on ground water can be reduced.
• All actions necessary to reduce the pollution of surface water including that of the Buriganga river should be undertaken so that the availability of usable surface water is increased.
• If the DWASA fails to speedily execute and plan projects for current and projected demands, then the City Corporation should try to bring in the private sector to take over responsibility.