Changla Mro and other women of the Mro ethnic group used to face dangers such as snakes, wild pigs, and fishing cats while trekking for hours to collect water. However, since a water collection and treatment system was installed a year ago, serving about 21 families in Bandarban district, these dangers are now a thing of the past. Changla Mro explained that two women were bitten by snakes while collecting water at night before the system was installed, but now they no longer fear such attacks. The increasing demands on the world's limited fresh water supply due to deforestation, climate change, and population growth are a concern globally. Discovering innovative methods to capture and preserve water in order to maintain consistent supplies throughout the year is becoming increasingly important. Women are seen collecting water at the community water treatment plant in Bandarban, as reported by Thomson Reuters Foundation. Water is a highly valued resource in the Hill Tract area of Bangladesh, covering 5,500 square miles and inhabited by both Bengali-speaking settlers and tribal people from 13 different ethnic groups. Extensive deforestation over the years has diminished the soil's ability to retain water, resulting in water shortages during the dry season when surface water evaporates. This issue is particularly severe in the districts of Bandarban, Rangamati, and Khagrhachharhi where the Mro community resides. Kangchag Mro, 50, used to spend hours searching for water in springs and streams, fearing waterborne diseases like diarrhoea and cholera. Now, clean drinking water flows from taps at the community's water treatment plant, a small concrete building topped with corrugated iron. She expressed that collecting water in the hilly area was difficult, but the water plant has made it easier. The plant is supplied by a hillside reservoir located 500 meters away and was funded by the Arannayk Foundation, a joint forest conservation initiative between the Bangladesh and US governments. The artificial lake is gathering water from the hills, which is then transported through a pipeline to a treatment plant for purification. The efficient gravity flow water system, without the need for costly pumps, has led to discussions about expanding it further. Md Wali Ullah, the chief engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering, mentioned that the government is looking into providing water to additional indigenous communities in the Hill Tract region. Ullah also stated that his department has already submitted a proposal to other relevant government departments. In Bandarban, there is a stream running. According to Mro leader Khamchang Mro, the community has recognized the significance of forests as they help in collecting rainfall during monsoon season and gradually releasing it into streams and rivers. The community has been making efforts to conserve forested areas in order to maintain a steady flow of water to springs and canals throughout the year. Khamchang Mro mentioned that they have reforested a degraded area of their village forests, resulting in the forest now being in a healthy condition. According to Farid Ahmed Khan, executive director of Arannayk Foundation, local communities must protect their forests in order to avoid a water crisis. Women in Bandarban collect water at a community water treatment plant. A stream flows in Bandarban as well.