Sustainability of Water Supply and Sanitation in Low Income Communities in Dhaka
Achievements and challenges characterize water supply and sanitation in Bangladesh,
which has a 98% population share with access to an improved water source, by way of
constructed handpumps, in 2004. However, the groundwater source of drinking water
for 97% of the rural population was discovered to have been contaminated with arsenic
in 1993, while at the same time surface water is commonly polluted and needs
treatment. Still, by 2004, arsenic-free drinking water can be accessed by 74% of the
population. Challenges that remain include low cost recovery because of low tariffs and
economic inefficiency, and sanitation issues, with only 39% of the population in 2004
having access to adequate sanitation facilities.[1]
In Dhaka, groundwater accounts for 82% of the water supply and 18% is provided by
three surface water treatment plants. Although arsenic contamination of groundwater is
limited in Dhaka, the latter’s depletion is ongoing in many areas of the country, with a
supply shortage being seen by 2015, if groundwater abstraction continues at current
rates. Nearly one third of domestic effluents is not treated in Dhaka. The Dhaka Water
Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) covers only 30% of the served population in
Dhaka. Conventional septic tanks and bucket and pit latrines are used by 30% and
15% of the population respectively, with sewage overflows being common during the
rainy season.[2]
The Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK) NGO assisted Dhaka’s squatter population to
gain access to public water and sanitation services starting in 1996, and by June 2002,
had constructed 97 water points in the city and 5 in Chittagong. Other NGOs and the
Dhaka City Corporation replicated the program’s success and have constructed
additional waterpoints in Dhaka. DSK’s success is due to its acting as intermediary
between poor urban communities and the DWASA to provide water and sanitation at
regulated prices, and its motivation and building of the capacities of the poor
communities for self-management.[3]
Based on an evaluation, the Bangladesh government finances 30% of the rural water
supply and sanitation in the country, with bilateral and multilateral donors, international
and local NGOs, and users contributing 34%, 4% and 32% respectively to the
undertaking. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) had loaned nearly US0 million to
the Bangladeshi water management sector by 2003, which includes project investments
in the rehabilitation and optimization of DWASA’s distribution network. The program and
project, which are technically assisted, are expected to be finished by the end of 2013.
The Arsenic Mitigation Water Supply Project, aimed at reducing arsenic mortality and
morbidity from groundwater and implemented from 1998 to 2006, has managed to drill
9,772 deep tubewells, 300 rainwater harvesting systems and 393 dug wells in more
than 1,800 villages. The World Bank is providing a loan of more than US0 million to
the Water Management Improvement Project in Bangladesh, which includes
rehabilitation and upgrading of 102 existing flood control, drainage and irrigation plans
and is expected to end in 2015.[4]
The Dhaka Water Supply and Sanitation Project for Bangladesh aims to improve the
sustainability of storm water drainage, wastewater and water services delivery by the
DWASA to the Dhaka population. Its five components are the following:
The rehabilitation and strengthening of lifting/pumping stations, the Pagia sewage
treatment plant and trunk sewer mains and sewer lines, and the expansion of the
coverage areas within the Pagia sewer basin.
The rehabilitation and strengthening of the storm water drainage system by installing
pumping stations at Rampura and Kamlapur to alleviate periodic flooding in Dhaka.
The implementation of environment and social safeguards, including the support for
resettlement action plans (RAPS) linked with selected canals rehabilitation.
The providing and extending of the services to low income communities, including the
delivery of water and environmental sanitation services to these areas.
The providing of management, monitoring & evaluation and consultations and
communications to ensure the project’s fiduciary compliance, the systematic quarterly
performance reviews of DWASA and the conduct of the required midterm and final
review of the project.[5]
[1] “Water Supply and Sanitation in Bangladesh”, Wikipedia, 15 April 2011, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_supply_and_sanitation_in_Bangladesh> [accessed 15 June 2011]
[2] ibid
[3] Rokeya Ahmed, “DSK: A Model for Securing Access to Water for the Urban Poor”, pdf, WaterAid,
March 2003, http://www.wateraid.org/documents/plugin_documents/bangladesh_dsk.pdf
[accessed 15 June 2011]
[4] “Water Supply and Sanitation in Bangladesh”
[5] “Bangladesh – Dhaka Water Supply and Sanitation Project”, The World Bank, 31 October 2008,
<http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000334955_20081112031101>
[accessed 15 June 2011]
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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