Tk3,482cr Dasherkandi STP runs at 25% capacity due to lack of sewer connections

Highlights:

• Dasherkandi sewage plant operates at just 25% capacity
• Insufficient sewer connections leave 75% of capacity unused
• Experts warn poor drainage could eventually undermine the plant
• Balu River pollution and siltation threaten wastewater discharge
• Encroachment has blocked canals connected to the river
• Agencies plan coordinated efforts to restore rivers and sewer connections

The Tk3,482 crore Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), the largest and most modern of its kind in South Asia, is operating at just 25% capacity because of a lack of sewer connections, according to an impact assessment by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).

A sewer connection links a building's internal plumbing system to a municipal public main line or private sewage disposal system.

The plant, located in the capital's Khilgaon near Aftabnagar, can treat sewage from an 80 sq km area but currently serves less than 20 sq km, leaving 75% of its capacity unused.

Experts warn that prolonged underutilisation could eventually make the facility's treated wastewater discharge system dysfunctional.

Adil Mohammed Khan, urban planner and executive director of the Institute for Planning and Development, told TBS that full-capacity operation could create a serious wastewater discharge problem during the dry season.

"If the plant releases treated water at full capacity, nearby agricultural land could be inundated during the dry season," he said.

Encroachment, pollution and siltation have reduced the water-holding and drainage capacity of nearby rivers and canals, he added.

"If navigability deteriorates further, the effectiveness of the plant could be severely affected and the project may eventually fail," Adil said.

He said investing heavily in the facility without first ensuring adequate sewer connections and a proper drainage system reflected shortcomings in project planning and poor coordination among relevant stakeholders.

"There is still time to protect the water bodies and canals in Dasherkandi and Nasirabad. Otherwise, we may have a huge treatment plant but no way to discharge the treated effluent," he said.

Serving fraction of target area

The facility began operations in 2023 to treat Dhaka's sewage before discharging treated water into the Balu River.

The project was taken up under the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa's) 2013 master plan to improve sewage management and reduce pollution in the capital's surrounding rivers.

It was designed to serve Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara DOHS, Bashundhara, Badda, Bhatara, Banasree, Kuril, Parliament area, Farmgate, Tejgaon, Aftabnagar, Niketan, Shatarakul and Hatirjheel, among other areas.

However, it currently treats sewage from only about one-fourth of the intended service area, according to IMED.

According to Dhaka Wasa, the project received a Tk2,366 crore loan from China's Exim Bank, while the government contributed Tk1,106 crore and Wasa Tk10 crore.

The loan carries a 2% interest rate and has a 20-year repayment period, including a five-year grace period. Repayment will begin in 2027.

Balu River losing capacity

A field visit found the river and surrounding areas inundated during the monsoon, while residents said the river remains almost dry during the rest of the year.

"Except during the monsoon, the water remains almost dry here throughout the year. The river used to be much wider," said resident Anwar.

A 2022 National River Conservation Commission survey identified 39 structures along the Balu River, including educational and religious institutions and government facilities.

The commission said waste from public and private sources, along with silt and garbage, has polluted the river and blocked connections to most of its 51 linked canals.

The survey identified 104 points through which domestic and industrial waste enters the river, damaging its navigability, said then commission chairman Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury.

Many connected canals are also being filled as low-lying water bodies, agricultural land and wetlands in Dasherkandi and Nasirabad are sold as plots.

Experts say maintaining the Balu's depth and protecting connected canals and water bodies are crucial to ensuring the STP's discharge system remains functional.

Agencies plan coordinated action

AH Md Farhad Uzzaman, chief engineer (dredging) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said he was unaware of any previous dredging specifically for the STP.

However, he said the government plans to restore navigability and water flow in rivers around Dhaka, with work expected to begin within the next two to three months.

Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Md Safiqul Islam Khan said illegal canal encroachments would not be rehabilitated.

The city corporation would recover and restore canals, build walkways along their banks and coordinate with relevant agencies, he said.

Dhaka Wasa Managing Director Md Aminul Islam said relevant agencies have agreed to work together to restore Dhaka's rivers, canals and water bodies.

He said preparations have begun to provide sewer connections to Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, transit areas and West Badda, among others, under a new project that is currently at the pre-Executive Committee of the National Economic Council stage.

Aminul added that canals and water bodies have not been under Wasa's jurisdiction since 2020, when responsibility was transferred to city corporations.