Ctg Wasa plans Tk30,350cr schemes to meet growing water demand, save two rivers

As the household and industrial demand for water surges in the ever sprawling metropolis of Chattogram and surrounding areas, its water authorities have chalked out massive plans to expand the port city's piped water network, as well as save the Karnaphuli and Halda rivers from sewage.

Chattogram's Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) has designed six projects to the tune of a whopping Tk30,350 crore which will bring the port city under an integrated sewerage system for the first time. 

In addition, these projects will address water needs for the people of the city and industries in the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar, the country's largest economic zone which has already begun partial operation.

AKM Fazlullah, managing director of Ctg Wasa, told TBS, "The city's drinking water is sourced from two rivers, Karnaphuli and Halda. To protect these rivers from city-produced sewage, a central sewage system is imperative for Chattogram to evolve into a healthy and eco-friendly city."

Four projects are for developing five sewage catchments, the city's water supply network and ensuring smooth water supply to Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar, he added. 

A sewage catchment is an area where wastewater from homes and industries is collected and directed into a centralised system for treatment and disposal.

"Arrangements are being made to fetch water from the Meghna River to provide uninterrupted supply to Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar for 100 years. If these projects are implemented, the standard of living in Chattogram will improve and the economy will get a boost," the MD said.

The projects encompass the installation of new pipelines, implementation of District Metering Area (DMA) technology, deployment of smart metres at the customer level, and extending water supply to Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar by laying a 150km pipeline along rail track to fetch water from the the estuary of the Padma-Meghna-Dakatia rivers in Chandpur.

DMA technology is used in water distribution systems to monitor and manage water flow and pressure within specific zones.

The project to fetch Meghna water 

Currently, Chattogram Wasa can produce 50 crore litres of potable water per day and the demand rises by nearly five crore annually. Besides, massive industrialisation outside the metropolis points to a sky-high demand for water. 

The water scarcity poses a significant challenge to major investments, exemplified by the Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar, the largest of its kind in the country. 

Spanning around 33,000 acres of land across Chattogram's Mirsharai, Sitakunda, and Feni upazilas, this industrial zone is being developed by the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza). 

Currently, eight industrial units have commenced commercial operations there, with 21 others in various stages of construction.

As per projections, the industrial sector's untreated water demand is expected to rise significantly: reaching 364 million litres per day (MLD) by 2025, 516 MLD by 2030, 730 MLD by 2035, and 1,033 MLD by 2040.

Presently, the Beza relies on 50 deep tube wells to meet water requirements.

To address the scarcity, a project has been devised to supply 500 MLD of water daily for the industrial zone by laying a 150km pipeline to the Meghna in Chandpur.

South Korean firm Taeyoung Engineering and Construction Co Ltd has expressed interest in investing in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) project, with the main project cost estimated at Tk8,952 crore. 

Additionally, work on an associated project for land acquisition is currently underway, potentially bringing the total project cost to around Tk10,000 crore.

Nurul Amin, the supervising engineer of Chattogram Wasa who is overseeing the project, said, "In July of last year, the PPP authority appointed a transaction advisor to assess the project's feasibility comprehensively. Presently, the authority awaits the advisor's final report, after which a meeting will be convened with all stakeholders."

However, there are indications that Beza may withdraw from the project, according to a source. Instead, it is considering constructing a water treatment plant with a capacity of 30 MLD, with feasibility studies initiated in November last year.

Tk3,800cr project to address water woes in remote areas

Chattogram Wasa is preparing a Tk3,800 crore project, among the six, which includes the installation of 816km of pipelines, 46 DMA (District Metering Area) technologies, 87 smart metres, and 40 deep tube wells. 

This project will not only enhance the water supply system but also address the long-standing issue of uninterrupted water supply for remote customers in Chattogram. The World Bank has shown interest in financing the project. 

According to the feasibility study, the pipeline installation will foster the development and expansion of the water supply network. 

Rezaul Ahsan Chowdhury, executive engineer of Wasa overseeing the project, said, "The feasibility study was completed in June 2023. The Development Project Proposal (DPP) was submitted to the Ministry of Local Government in February of this year. We have received feedback from the ministry, and the DPP is being revised accordingly. If all progresses smoothly, we anticipate final approval for the project by the end of this year."

According to Chattogram Wasa, over the past 15 years, three projects have been executed, totalling Tk7,738 crore, on sewerage and water treatment.  

5 sewage catchments under four new projects

Chattogram city currently produces around 40 crore litres of sewage daily, which is channelled into the Karnaphuli and Halda rivers via canals, ultimately reaching the Bay of Bengal. 

About 539 cubic metres of faecal sludge (human waste) are deposited into septic tanks daily, with only a fraction managed by purification systems. 

The Wasa formulated a Sewerage Master Plan in 2017 to address sewage management, dividing the city into six catchments. If implemented, this plan would enable Chattogram Wasa to connect 89 lakh people to central management. 

On 11 January 2022, Wasa signed an agreement with the South Korean company Taeyoung Engineering & Construction Co Ltd to implement Sewage Treatment Plant-1 (STP-1), known as the Halisahar catchment. 

Wasa will build the rest five catchments under four projects: Kalurghat catchment (STP-2), East Bakalia catchment (STP-4), Fathehabad catchment (STP-3), North Kattali catchment (STP-5), and Patenga catchment (STP-6). 

Several entities, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), South Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), France's Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and Nippon KOEI, have expressed interest in financing the construction of the treatment plants.