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Bangladesh

 

Caught Between Diarrhoea Bugs and Arsenic

Report

—

Inter Press Service

By Naimul Haq

DHAKA, May 18, 2012 (IPS) - Caught between arsenic contaminated groundwater and diarrhoea-causing microbes in its ponds and rivers, achieving the millennium development goal of providing access to safe drinking water for its 160 million people by 2015 is a tough call for Bangladesh.

Yet, with a programme of using simple hand pumps and involving the women in affected communities, Bangladesh has managed to ensure that 98 percent of its rural population now has access to safe drinking water.

"Despite widespread arsenic contamination, over 98 percent of the rural population now has access to safe drinking water," avers Mohammad Nuruzzaman, chief engineer of the department of public health (DPHE).

"All the 1.3 million hand-pumped tubewells we have installed for the rural population are arsenic-free. We are constantly monitoring them through regular testing in our 14 regional laboratories," Nuruzzaman told IPS.

Hand pumps access water that is closer to the surface and has had less time to absorb arsenic. Also, very deep tube wells that reach water 500 metres below ground level are usually safe because arsenic deposits at that depth are likely to have been depleted.

"Through constant monitoring, we are adapting and improving our approach, but UNICEF will never be happy until all water supply is made safe from arsenic," Pascal Villeneuve, representative for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Bangladesh, told IPS.

UNICEF has special reason to be anxious about arsenic in groundwater because the U.N. body was responsible for promoting Bangladesh’s tube well programme in the 1950s, which turned disastrous with the discovery of high arsenic contamination of groundwater in 1993.

"Currently, the Bangladesh government and UNICEF are partners in implementing the largest hygiene behaviour change programme in the world," Villeneuve said. "This will ultimately reach 30 million people and is already reaching 20 million."

Under this programme, arsenic mitigation is "mainstreamed," Villeneuve explained. "Communities are being equipped with knowledge and skills to avoid arsenic poisoning while some 20,000 arsenic-safe water points are to be installed, reaching over two million people in areas that are most affected."

Nurul Islam, project director of the programme, told IPS that the role of women is crucial. "The programme is mainly designed to empower women in 600 affected communities so that they can make decisions and demand the best options available."

S.M.A. Rashid, executive director of the NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation, told IPS: "We promote women’s participation in the arsenic mitigation project and build the capacities of women in affected communities so that the victims can decide how best to solve their problems."

Rainwater harvesting, sand filters, traditional dug wells and alternate tube wells are among range of options on offer with beneficiaries needing to pay just ten percent of the costs.

Groundwater arsenic was first discovered in 1993 in the northwestern district of Chaipainawabganj but the issue remained buried until 1996 when doctors from the Dhaka Community Hospital (DCH), joined scientists from the School of Environmental Studies (SOES), Jadavpur University, West Bengal, India, to go public.

Dipankar Chakraborti, research director at SOES, told IPS: "The government in Bangladesh had thought that sinking deep tube wells would solve its water problems, but 40 percent of the wells turned out to be contaminated with arsenic."

Chakraborti, who has been carrying out tests on hundreds of water samples sent to him from Bangladesh, said many tube wells in the country still show dangerous levels of contamination - though the magnitude of the problem is far less than initially thought.

Arsenic contamination of groundwater occurs in many parts of the world, including locations in India, Thailand, China, Argentina, Chile and the United States. But nowhere has the problem been as severe as in Bangladesh.

Arsenic contamination in Bangladesh was not officially acknowledged until the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine jointly conducted a series of tests in 1995.

The enormity of the problem emerged as water samples in parts of the country revealed arsenic at concentrations of 250 parts per billion (ppb), though this is mostly limited to underground layers between 10 and 150 metres. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deems concentrations exceeding 10 ppb to be toxic.

During the late 1950s, UNICEF, with the good intention of reducing infant mortality from surface water-borne diseases, introduced tube well technology. As deaths from diseases such as cholera and shigella declined, millions of tube wells sprang up across the country with disastrous consequences.

About 22 percent of all tube wells in the country are still arsenic contaminated, according to Mahmud Shamsul Gafur, who works for WHO which once described Bangladesh’s situation as the "largest mass poisoning of a population in history."

"From what we know there are 38,430 patients suffering from various degrees of arsenic poisoning," Gafur told IPS. "It is commendable that there is now a massive government-led awareness programme with the close involvement of women who are the worst sufferers."

Traditionally, in Bangladesh, fetching water is a woman’s chore. Since the advent of tube wells, women have also taken on the responsibility of their maintenance and repair.

Arsenic poisoning can - apart from severely damaging the circulatory and respiratory systems, and causing kidney, bladder and liver diseases - be disfiguring. Women who suffer from the typical skin lesions tend to shy away from public gaze.

Arati Karmaker, who lives in Dakobe village of Khulna district, and has skin lesions caused by arsenic in drinking water, says she is socially isolated. This mother of three always wears a full-sleeved blouse and uses a shawl to cover the disfigurement.

"I opted for a deep tube well which is safe and can be used by other affected families in my neighbourhood," she said.

Some experts say solving Bangladesh’s arsenic problem calls for a return to surface water, which is easily treated for microbes by boiling and does not call for the use of expensive filters. Concentrated arsenic sludge, the byproduct of filtration, presents another serious problem – that of safe disposal.

"If we do not return to using surface water quickly the problem could turn catastrophic," says Prof. Mahmudur Rahman at the DCH. "By drilling so many tube wells we disturbed the underground environment and put ourselves in this crisis."

But surface water sources in densely populated Bangladesh have been drying up and half of the country's original 300 rivers have vanished. For now, the best option is still the simple hand-operated pump and constant vigil for arsenic contamination by women in the communities.

Statement of success of the development activities implemented by the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Bangladesh since the present “Grand Alliance” government has taken the charge.

1. Introduction

The Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) is a department under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives. This department is responsible for safe water supply and sanitation (sewage and solid waste disposal) management throughout rural and urban (city corporation, pourashava, upazila sadar and growth centre) areas of the country, except the areas under WASAs. The department has set top priority to implement the two goals declared in the present government’s election manifesto-

               I.      Safe drinking water for all by 2011

             II.      100% sanitation coverage by 2013

2. Activities already implemented by DPHE

The following activities have been implemented through different projects after the present government has taken its charge:

During regime of present government, water coverage has increased from 82% to 88% and water source is ensured for every 95 no. of people in rural areas. In urban areas, 30% of the areas are under water coverage through piped water supply system and rests are covered by point sources. As a result, overall water coverage in urban areas has increased to 99.4%.

§         1.31 Lakh nos. different types of water sources have been installed in rural areas, including in arsenic affected areas.

§         Water supply system has been expanded and developed, including preparation to face emergency situation in 24 pourashavas which are affected by the flood of the year 2007.

§         9000 nos. water sources have been installed in “Sidr” and “Aila” affected areas.

§         Piped water supply system has been installed in 21 villages with the sponsorship of private organizations.

§         Piped water Supply system expansion and development as well as regeneration of choked up tube wells have been done in 20 pourasavas.

§         Modern water supply system with impounding reservoir and water treatment plant has been installed in Mongla pourashava of Khulna saline zone.

§         Modern water supply system has been installed, including construction of surface water treatment plant, in Rajshahi city of low water table zone.  

§         The inhabitants of Char areas have been brought under the water supply and sanitation system.

§         Qualitative test of 1,30,000 nos. water sources has been conducted in last 3 years.

§         Qualitative test of existing drinking water sources of 61,000 primary schools has been conducted on demand of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.

§         Households using sanitary latrine has been increased to 91% as a result of integrated effort of Government, Non Government organizations and Local Government Institutions.

§         4, 10,000 low cost sanitary latrine and 489 nos. community latrine has been set up in this regime.

§         Every year, the15th October is celebrated as “World Hand Washing Day” in every educational institution by DPHE with the assistance of UNICEF and other development partners.

3. Activities being implemented by DPHE

    

Following activities are being implemented since the present government has taken its charge:

§         2, 00,000 different types of water sources are being installed in rural areas including arsenic affected areas.

§         Extension and development of water supply system is being implemented in Sylhet and Barisal City Corporations.

§         Extension and development of water supply system is being implemented in 53 district towns to bring 75% of their inhabitants under piped water supply system.

§         Feasibility study and preparation of investment project for 155 pourashavas is in progress.

§         Implementation of 175 nos. piped water supply schemes in rural areas is in progress.

§         Extension and development of water supply system is being implemented in Kotalipara and Tungipara of Gopalganj District, Shujanagar, Bhangura and Chatmohor Pourashavas of Pabna District and Chowmuhoni Pourashava of Noakhali District.

§         Increasing the sanitary latrine user household to 100% within 2013 by setting up 65 lac sanitary latrines in rural and urban areas. This is being implemented through the integrated effort of Government and Non Government organizations.

4.  Future activities to be implemented by DPHE

    

Following plans have been submitted to be implemented by DPHE in future:

§         Extension and development of water supply system in 38 upazila and growth centers.

§         Establishment of water supply system through pipe line in 45 upazila and growth centres.

§         Extension and development of water supply system in Tongi pourashava and Cox’s Bazar city.

§         Development of water supply system through point sources, for interim period, in 178 pourashavas, where no piped water supply exist.

§         Set up of 12,729 nos. different types of water sources in “Aila” affected 5 upazilas of Khulna and Shatkhira districts.

§         Installation of 49,440 nos. water sources in areas where shallow tube well is successful.

§         Installation of 3,473 nos. pond sand filters, 21,106 nos. No-6 deep tube wells, 3,849 nos. ring wells/ dug wells, 30,854 nos. tara deep tube wells, 167 nos. SST/ VSST, 268 nos. arsenic- iron removal plants, 142 nos. rain water harvesting in arsenic affected areas.

§         Set up of 100 nos. community based de-salination plants; procurement and set up of 15 nos. mobile de-dalination plant.

§         Establishment of 65,00,000 sanitary latrines in rural and urban areas with integrated effort of Government and Non- Government organizations.

§         Encourage people in rural and urban areas to set up and use sanitary latrines.

§         Development of suitable sanitation system in chars, haors, Chittagong hill tracts and other problematic areas.   

Introduce of safe water supply, hygienic sanitation & drainage system in Pourashavas of Bangladesh by DPHE

The Government of Bangladesh is emphasizing the importance of water supply and sanitation for protection of environment leading to improved health status and thus the sector is considered as the top priority one. The water supply and sanitation system of newly created Pourashava is not adequate to meet the public demand. So it is required to develop the water supply and sanitation system in the Pourashava.

At present total number of Pourashava are 310 out of which 58 are district level, 219 are Upazila level and 33 are growth centre level. Till now 130 Pourashava has brought under piped water supply system and the Government has decided to cover the remaining Pourashavas phase by phase by 2013.

In view of the above the Department of Public Health Engineering has taken up the Project “Groundwater Management and TPP for Survey, Investigation and Feasibility Study in Upazila and Growth Center Level Pourashava having no Piped Water Supply System” covering 148 Pourashavas with JDCF funding (GOB). The Project (TPP) was approved on 04-11-2007 costing Tk. 10014.60 lakh with duration from January, 2007 to June, 2011 (Extended up to June, 2013).

Objectives of the study

Identify safe source regard to chemical especially arsenic contamination, conduct feasibility study for determining ground/surface source, determine water demand, prepare environmental impact assessment and prepare a master plan for each town.

Scope of work

Total 148 numbers of Pourashavas are included in the project. The project commenced on 17 January 2010 and is scheduled for completion by 42 month. The project is divided into 4 Phases. A list and a map showing location of the Pourashavas is given below.

The project is to be completed in four phase as under:

• Phase-1 : 12 Pourashavas.
• Phase-2 : 37 Pourashavas.
• Phase-3 : 49 Pourashavas.
• Phase-4 : 50 Pourashavas.

To achieve the objective of the project, it is divided into two components and the task has been assigned to two groups of consultants. The components are:

·Component 1 Mathematical Modelling involves development of database and models and produce various parameters generated from outputs, which will be utilized for the feasibility study for Safe Drinking Water Source Identification; and

·Component 2 Socioeconomic Study, EIA and Detail Engineering Survey Investigation and Design involve social, environmental and engineering surveys, hydro geological investigations. It will prepare master plan for each Pourashava for water supply, sanitation and drainage improvement.

For better management and monitoring the Project activities a Steering Committee (SC) and a Project Implementation Committee (PIC) are formulated. This committee held their meeting with due interval and monitor the project activities/progress regularly.

Present status of the Project

Under the Project 1^st Phase works is likely to be finished by February, 2011 and simultaneously works of Phase-II are going on. Inception reports and quarterly progress report has been submitted by the consultants. Hydro geological investigation and other related items of works are in progress. The item of works achieved/going on under the Project till date is as follows:

(a) Water Supply Study

• Collection of construction record of existing PWs. -Achieved
• Design and layout of observation wells for aquifer test in existing PWs. -Achieved
• Aquifer test data processing, analysis and interpretation. -Ongoing
• Ground Water Modeling. -Ongoing
• Ground Water Resource assessment and safe yield quantification. -Ongoing
• Collection of Hydrometric data from secondary sources. -Achieved
• Surface water model data preparation, model development and calibration. -Ongoing
• Scenario runs, dependable flow analysis and assessment of surface water resources for water supply. -Ongoing
• Topographic Survey. -42 completed out of 148
• Collection and mapping water supply data. -12 completed out of 148
• Water supply demand assessment. -Ongoing
• Water distribution model data preparation, model development and calibration. Ongoing
• Water supply Scenario runs, planning and design of water supply components. Ongoing
• Socio-economic and EIA baseline survey. -Ongoing
• Expletory drilling & geophysical logging. -Complete 18 Pourashava out of 148
• Construction of monitoring wells. -Ongoing
• Ground Water quality analysis. -12 pourashava completed (1^st phase)
• Design, drawing and technical specifications of PW. -Ongoing
• Water supply strategy. -Ongoing
• Water supply master plan. -Ongoing

(b) Drainage Study.

• Collection of Hydrometric data from secondary sources. -Complete
• Hydrometric and hydrometeorology measurement. -Ongoing
• Data analysis and model set-up. -Ongoing
• Model calibration and option study. -Ongoing
• Generation of hydraulic design parameters of drainage infrastructure. -Ongoing
• Civil design of drainage infrastructure. -Ongoing
• Technical specifications. -Ongoing
• Drainage master plan. -Ongoing

(c) Sanitation Study.

• Secondary data collection on sanitation and solid waste disposal). -Completed
• Topographic survey. -42 pourashava out of 148
• Collection and mapping of sanitation data. -Ongoing
• Drainage model calibration and option studies: will reflect sewerage system need/environmental sanitation. -Ongoing
• Generation of hydraulic design parameters of sewerage/environmental sanitation infrastructure. -Ongoing
• Meeting with LGI, local stockholders NGOs/CBOs and collection of primary data on prevailing sanitation situation and solid waste disposal mechanism practiced. -Ongoing
• Socio-economic SIA and EIA baseline survey. -1^st & 2^nd phase completed
• Analyze finding of baseline survey and FGDs and consultation process with LGI on total sanitation and mechanism for safe waste management. -Ongoing
• Utilize finding from drainage model for development of option studies for total sanitation practice and solid waste management. -Ongoing
• Development of total sanitation practice options and safe waste disposal management intervention in coherence with drainage infrastructure. -Ongoing
• Civil design of adaptable total sanitation practice and solid waste management infrastructure. -Ongoing
• Technical specifications on total sanitation and solid waste management infrastructure.-ongoing
• Master plan for ensuring total sanitation and solid waste management in Pourashava.-Ongoing

The Government of Bangladesh is emphasizing the importance of water supply and sanitation for protection of environment leading to improved health status and thus the sector is considered as the top priority one. The water supply and sanitation system of newly created Pourashava is not adequate to meet the public demand. So it is required to develop the water supply and sanitation system in the Pourashava.

Formulation of New Project Char Development and Settlement Project-IV (DPHE Part)

Chars in Bangladesh are a by-product of the hydro-morphological dynamics of its rivers. It is estimated that the total area covered by chars in Bangladesh was 1,722 square kilometers in 1993 (EGIS, 2000). In the process of erosion and accretion, the sandbars form landmass in adverted lands is commonly called char.

Living conditions on newly accreted chars are very poor. People build mounds and erect houses made of poles and straw. At this stage land may be barely above water and the char may have been planted with mangroves by the Forest Department to accelerate accretion. Water will inundate the char at high tides, but in the monsoon season this water is fresh a crop of paddy may be grown- at considerable risk of damage by storms, excessively high tides, or by potable drinking water (the shallow aquifer is saline, and no services such as roads, schools clinics and markets. These chars need support to provide basic services to the inhabitants.

The Netherlands started supporting char development during the land Reclamation Project, which commenced in 1978 and was followed in 1994 by the Char- Development and settlement project (CDSP). CDSP now completed its third phase focusing on Boyer char covering 6,600 ha with activities in Noakhali District. The project involves six GOB departments with the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) as the lead agency.

The experiences of CDSP-III has shown that development of water and sanitation quickly would generate some immediate and visible benefit it is a major priority for people (especially women) - and so gain local support for other project activities.

Experience in CDSP III shows there is a need for test tube wells to fist identify saline GW areas and so show if alternative water sources and needed where GW is saline. However some information should be available from DTWs that have already been installed in the CDSP IV area by Danida and other agencies. Even if fresh water is available, the capacity of this aquifer to supply household water is not known, and further information should be sought (although initial advice suggests that, providing extraction continues to be limited to hand pumps. this should not be a problem).

One alterative to GW is rainwater collection ponds with sand filters, but these are not yet operational in CDSP III and the experience of other programmers should be sought to collection from roof, but almost all private houses have grass/straw roofs, which are not suitable, not are the flat roofs of cyclone shelters and other public buildings.

Community ponds: if GW supplies are adequate for household use, there seems little justification for continuing to construct community ponds, apart from in cluster villages. The rational for such ponds is to supply households with non-potable water, leaving uses them in preference to DTW as a supply of non-potable water. However CDSP III is a DTW for all their water needs. In addition ponds cost about three or four times as If panda Rae used for non-potable water, for most of the year they are likely to be the individual household ponds that exist in virtually all homesteads.

Cyclone shelter water supply: it has been observed that in CDSP III DTW have been automatically included for all cyclone shelters. At two of the cyclone shelters visited by saline. It is pointless installing DTW in such places purely because they are part of an excluded from such packages of works, but that the water and sanitation component has where they are needed and where the aquifer is suitable.

Based on the experiences of CDSP-III and the report prepared by the project formulation team, the CDSP-IV project for water supply and sanitation has been prepared.

Report on Char Development and Settlement Project financed by Netherlands Government

Chars along the Bay of Bengal Coast

The central part of the coastal zone of Bangladesh where major rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal is in physical terms the most dynamic part of the landmass. The huge flow of water through the Meghna/Padma river system causes loss of land through erosion. At the same time the gradual deposit of silt carried down by that same system results in the information of new land. The silt flows into the Bay and is then pushed back by tidal movements to the area in front of the coastline. It will take possibly an average of twenty to thirty years from the first deposits to the emergence of new land. In the beginning it will be just mudflats, used for fisheries. Gradually the land will be more accreted and grass will grow. When the land is higher the first crop can be planted, usually aman rice. If it is high enough, the land can be embanked to create a polder. A general rule is that this can only be done if the land falls dry at mean high water level in monsoon time. These newly accreted lands, in the different phases of development, are the chars.

According to the official policy, newly emerged land is transferred to the Forest Department for a period of twenty years for plantation and management of forests, especially mangroves. This is to accelerate accretion of land, stabilize it and to protect the main land against storms and cyclones. However, due to a huge demand on land, the victims of erosion from elsewhere, in most cases, encroached upon the newly formed land as settlers before the period of twenty years had expired. They live on the chars in a harsh environment on land that had a limited economic value yet and without any title on the land they are occupying. This has set the stage for char development activities.

CDSP’S Contribution to the development of char areas

Government sponsored interventions aimed at developing coastal chars started in an organized manner in the late 1970’s with the Land Reclamation Project (LRP), funded by the Governments of Bangladesh and The Netherlands. The land based component of LRP (that was also involved in surveys on the Bay of Bengal) was implemented in one particular area in Noakhali District, Char Baggar Dona I. This char was empoldered, while settlement through the provision of land titles and agricultural development were other major objectives.

The experiences of LRP were later applied in the first Char Development and Settlement project (CDSP I) that ran from 1994 to 1999 in three chars of the same district: Char Majid, Char Batirtek and Char Baggar Dona II. Compared to LRP, it was a much bigger area (combined ha), while two more agencies (Ministry of Land and Local Government Engineering Department) were involved in the implementation. All three previously unprotected chars were each turned into a polder. The Netherlands continued its commitment to coastal development by supporting the Bangladesh Government in CDSP I, and indeed in CDSP phases as well.

CDSP II, operational from 1999 to 2005, added elements to the basic strategy of CDSP: it was no longer confined to interventions after embanking a char, it also supported activities in unprotected lands. Another addition to the concept was the fact that development activities took place in already existing polders, not created under CDSP, as for instance polders 59/3B and 59/3C. The project area was now expanded to four Districts: Chittagong, Feni, Noakhali and Lakshmipur. From the government side the Department of Agriculture Extension and the Department of Public Health Engineering joined the three CDSP I agencies in the implementation.

The combined benefited area in LRP and CDSP I, II and III is nearly 100,000 ha, with a population of 896,000. These totals can be divided as follows: creation of new polders (18,160 ha, with 145,000 people) water management in existing polders, including drainage upstream Baggar Dona river (76,000 ha with 711,000 people) and development of unprotected areas(4,600 ha with 39,900 people).

A core activity of CDSP is the settlement of landless households on khas land in the project areas. Under CDSP I, 5785 acres were distributed among 4,450 families and in CDSP II the target was set at 10,118 acres to be allotted to 6,848 landless households. CDSP III aims at distributing around 11,000 acres to 9,500 households. The title on the land is an enormous benefit for the hither to landless population. In general a sharp increase in the monetary value of the distributed land can be observed over time.

Major physical achievements during the CDSP I and II periods were:

Agencies Involved Achievements under
CDSP-I CDSP-II
BWDB :
a) Construction and maintenance of embankment 30 km 32 km
b) Construction of Sluices 2 nos. 13 nos.
c) Construction of Closures 2 nos. -
d) Excavation/Re-excavation of drainage canal/khal 40 km 128 km
e) Excavation/Re-excavation of Secondary drainage canal 62 km -
MOL :
a) Cluster village with ponds 33 nos.

LGED :
a) Bridge/Culvert 49 nos. 109 nos.
b) Cyclone Shelters 17 nos. 25 nos.
c) Rural Road 62 km 249 km
d) Deep Tube-well 229 nos. -
e) Sanitary latrine 4000 nos.
DPHE :
a) Deep Tube-well - 320 nos.
b) Latrine - 2864 nos.

The creation of polders provides a higher security because of protection against storms and floods. Direct economic benefits are derived from the gradual desalinization of the soil and the improved water management, that make a higher cropping intensity (especially more area under Rabi and Aus crops) and use of high yielding varieties (HYV) possible; homestead production of vegetables is increased due to the flood protection; more opportunities are created for income through aquaculture. Indirectly, CDSP interventions facilitate the establishment of small businesses, while a variety of service delivery institutions, from schools and health centres to banks and bus companies are established in the chars.

Objectives and activities of CDSP II

The long term development objective is the same as formulated for CDSP II to improve the economic situation and living conditions of the population in the coastal areas of south-eastern Bangladesh, with special reference to the poorest segments of the population. The project will be working towards this objective by aiming at three specific project purpose: promotion of an institutional environment that sustains CDSP type of interventions; accumulation and dissemination of knowledge on coastal development; directly improving the economic and social situation of people in coastal chars.

Essential elements in the approach of CDSP III are poverty alleviation and integration. It follows the principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) by coordination of activities in several sectors and by taking into account the interests of different groups of water users. CDSP III (2005-2009) is to a great extent a phase of consolidation. The actual interventions at field level are limited, the development of Boyer Char (6600 ha) and the improvement of drainage in the upstream area of the Baggar Dona river. The full range of lessons learned in the previous phases can applied. The project will still be operation in CDSP I and CDSP II areas as well, in particular for land settlement and support to Water Management Organizations. CDSP III is also engaged with identifying future char development programmes.

Much of the institutional work is geared towards the internalization of CDSP concepts and working methods into the six implementing agencies. Emphasis in the knowledge development and dissemination component lies on monitoring the impact of project interventions of earlier phases and on linking the project data base with the Integrated Coastal Resources Database, located in the Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO).

Through a combination of interventions of the six implementing agencies, the project seeks to provide security to the approximately 9000 households that have settled in Boyer Char. Their physical security is enhanced by the construction of embankments and cyclone shelters and they are economically more secure by their legal title on the land and the improved environment for agricultural development and non-agriculture opportunities.

At a glance, the interventions by DPHE:

a) Deep Tube wells 600 Nos.
b) Sanitary latrine 8500 Nos.
c) Public toilet 20 Nos.
d) Community Pond 47 Nos.
e) Rainwater harvest 60 Nos.

In Boyer Char an NGO programme is being implemented by five local NGOs, coordinated by BRAC. The activities under this programme are complementary to those of the government agencies under CDSP III. The two development efforts do not overlap each other but rather reinforce each others objectives.

Organisation and resources of CDSP III

The project is sponsored by the Ministry of Water Resources and is implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (lead agency), the Ministry of Land, the Local Government Engineering Department, the Department of public Health Engineering, the Department of Agriculture Extension and the Forest Department. A technical assistance team provides support to all agencies.

A unique feature of CDSP is the active cooperation between six government agencies, and the structured relationship between the government programme and the NGO activities in the same area. The coordinating body at the policy level is the National steering Committee (NSC), chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, with representatives of the parent Ministries of the implementing agencies, planning Commission, implementation and Monitoring Division, BRAC, the Royal Netherlands Embassy (observer) and the technical assistance team (observer) as members. The project Director is member-secretary. The NSC meets at least twice a year.

At project level the Project Management Committee (PMC) is the central coordinating and management body. It is headed by the project Director, BWDB. The project coordinators of the other five agencies and the project Manager of the BRAC/NGO programme are the members. The leader of the technical assistance team is the secretary. Meetings are held at least once in every three months.

Total costs for the three phases of CDSP Programme amount to approximately Taka 2900 million. The Government of Bangladesh of Bangladesh contributed roughly 20%, while the Government of The Netherlands 80%. The World Food Programme supplied 190,000 MT wheat in the CDSP II period. Of the total amount, Taka 1264 million will be spent during CDSP III.

Char development in future

Natural accretion process of land in the Bay of Bengal will continue. Demand for land to settle landless households and for other purposes is only expected to increase in the years to come. As part of CDSP III project, feasibility studies will be carried out for prospective areas where char development programmes can be undertaken in future. In total three such studies will be undertaken. Apart from a large area comprising char Nangulia, Noler Char and Caring Char, east of Boyer Char across the Hatiya River, prospective areas also onclude Urir Char and Sandwip Island, newly accreted areas northwest and southeast of Hatiya and the region south of Bhola.

Under a separate project the BWDB will carry out experiment with construction of cross dams in a number of places. Such dams are expected to accelerate the rate of land accretion. This would create even more possibilities for char development than already is the case at present.

Signing Contract Document for Cosultancy services “Socioeconomic Study, EIA & Detail Engineering Survey & Investigation and Engineering Design” between Government of Bangladesh and JVA of M/S Farhat Consulting Engineers and Architects Ltd. on Thrusday 06.01.2010

Contract Signing has been successfully completed on 06.01.2010 for the consultancy services on
“Socioeconomic Study, EIA & Detail Engineering Survey & Investigation and Engineering Design” under the Groundwater Management and TPP for Survey, Investigation and Feasibility Study in Upazila and Growth Center Level Pourashava having no Piped Water Supply System project in DPHE Bhavan Conference room at 12.30 p.m. Mr. Monwar Ali, Project Director of the project and Mr. A.M Roushan Moni, Managing Director, Farhat Consulting signed in favour of Government of Bangladesh and JVA respectively. Service cost is about 3.75 million USD.

Signing Contract Document for Cosultancy services "Mathematical Modelling for Safe Drinking Water Source Identification" between Government of Bangladesh and JVA of Institute of Water Modelling (IWM ) on Wednesday 05.01.2010

Contract Signing has been successfully completed on 05.01.2010 for the consultancy services on

"Mathematical Modeling for Safe Drinking Water Source Identification" under the Groundwater Management and TPP for Survey, Investigation and Feasibility Study in Upazila and Growth Center Level Pourashava having no Piped Water Supply System project in DPHE Bhavan Conference room at 2.30 p.m. Mr. Monwar Ali, Project Director of the project and Mr. Emaduddin Ahmad, Executive Director, IWM signed in favour of Government of Bangladesh and JVA respectively. Service cost is about 6.5 million USD.

Achievement of MDG in terms of Water Supply and Sanitation: Bangladesh Context

Monwar Ali
Superintending Engineer, DPHE
Planning Circle, Dhaka

Bangladesh at a Glance

Area :147,570 sq. km
Population :140.00 million
Gross National Income (GNI) :$ 470.00
Life Expectancy :64 yrs.
Adult Literacy rate (2000-04) :M-50%, F-31%
Net Pry. School enrollment (2000-05) :84%

Million Development Goal and Bangladesh

► 8 Goals and 18 targets were set under the internationally agreed frame work of MDG. Target 10 under Goal 7 related to Water Supply and Sanitation: Halve by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to save drinking water and basic sanitation.
► Bangladesh committed to achieve the Target of MDG
► To achieve MDG, Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) formulated and upgraded recognizing safe water and sanitation as priority agenda
► Pro-poor strategy, Sanitation strategy, Sector Development plan approved by the Government to materialize MDG Target
► Bangladesh Government has commitment to ensure arsenic safe water by 2011 and sanitation by 2013

ACCESS TO WATER SUPPLY

Rural

• Water supply of Bangladesh based on ground water achieved 97% of coverage in rural areas installing tubewell as low cost technology
• Installation of tube wells under private initiatives mostly increases the coverage. About 7.0 million private tubewell installed which is about 7 times greater than public tube wells.
• Arsenic in ground water lowered the safe water coverage at 74% in 2001 and caused great challenge for water supply
• To Address the situation in holistic way , Arsenic Mitigation Policy approved and different type of alternate options developed through action research
• Under different development project more than 1.0 lakh safe water options was installed along with 120 village piped water in arsenic affected areas.

Urban

• In urban areas, water supplied through pipe line in core areas and point source in fringe areas
• Ground water mostly used as source for piped supply in some cases with treatment for iron & arsenic. Surface water also used in limited scale with microbiological treatment
• Urban slum provided water mostly through point source and in some cases through community tap

The scenario of Piped water supply:
Area City Corporation Pourashava

Total Numbers 6 309
Piped W/S exist 6 159
Piped scheme under implementation 3 (DPHE) 148 (Study)

ACCESS TO SANITATION

• Sanitation situation of Bangladesh was very critical at the beginning of this century. Government took dynamic initiatives to improve the situation meeting the MDG target:
  • National Campaign
  • Baseline Survey
  • Intervention
  • Develop Private Entrepreneurship
  • Develop Technological options
  • Recognition of the local initiatives
  • Monitoring & Evaluation
  
• Government, Development partners, NGOs participated in national campaigning for promoting the community to use the latrine
• Local Government Institute played the important role and owned the programme. Sanitation coverage increased 87% in rural areas and 90% in urban areas against 28% and 53% in 2003.

CHALLENGES

• Lack of safe water aquifer in some parts of the country.
• Shallow ground water suffers contamination from arsenic, iron, microbes and salinity.
• Deep ground in the coastal belt contains excessive salinity in some cases.
• Lowering of water table.
• Arsenic removal and sludge treatment
• Poor and landless people have not enough space to construct latrine.
• Pit latrine is not suitable for high water table and densely populated area.
• Private sector investment is low.
• Densely populated area needs costly sewer system.
• Assistance from donor for urban sanitation is low and
• Lack of adequate funding

WAY FORWARD

• Continued political commitment;
• Achieve 100% sanitation by 2010;
• Address the issue of Urban Sanitation Challenges;
• Promote Ecological Sanitation and
• Reach all hardcore poor.
• Switch on to piped water scheme in rural areas from the point source;
• Continued R & D activities for alternative and appropriate technologies for safe

water supply putting emphasis on arsenic prone areas;
• Increase collaborative effort among the stakeholders;
• Increase investment in UWS;
• Ensure water quality

FUTURE INTERVENTIONS for Achieving MDG

DPHE :

• Rural Water Supply in South-Western Part of Bangladesh – Approved
• Special Rural Water Supply Project (2.62 lakh WP)
• National Sanitation Project (2nd Phase) – Approved
• 37-District Towns Water Supply, Sanitation and Drainage Project
• Water Supply and Sanitation through Pipe Line and Environmental Sanitation in Paurasavas of Thana HQs and Growth Centres Project (2nd Phase)
• Cyclone Prone and SIDR Affected Coastal Belt Water Supply and Sanitation Project
• Water Supply and Sanitation through Pipe Line in Upazila sadar Project (1st Phase 50 Upazila HQs)
• Integrated Sanitation development in District Town Pourasavas Project (1st Phase)
• Establishment of Water Testing Facilities at 9 districts and Monitoring of Water Quality
• Establishment of “National Water Supply and Sanitation Information Centre (NAWASIC)” in DPHE.
• Safe Water Source Investigation, Monitoring and Observation
• Throughout the Country Project
• Feasibility Study and Project Preparation Study Project for the establishment of Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation Facilities in Char and Haor Areas

Aligning Policies and Strategies to Achieve MDG goals:

Aligning Policies and Strategies to Achieve MDG goals:
Recommendations from Sanitation and Water Sub-group
First Sub-regional Forum for South Asia
Aligning Policies and Strategies to Achieve MDG goals
Kathmandu, November 04-06 2009

Summary of Proceedings:

Country Presentations

1. Bangladesh
2. Afghanistan
3. India
4. Maldives
5. Nepal
6. Pakistan
7. Sri Lanka

Thematic Presentations

1. Sanitation in South Asia and challenges of social inclusion

2. Economics of Sanitation Initiative: emerging findings from East Asia and South Asia

3. Status of sanitation and financing options

4. Water re-use and options for urban water supply

5. Evaluation Lessons from ADB WS & S Operations

6. Institutional Changes to meet the MDG sanitation targets

Recommendations

1. Prioritize sanitation as evident in specific increase in allocation of financial resources to sanitation commensurate with achieving the MDGs:
a) Compute investments to meet MDG (e.g. Nepal WaterAid Gap Study 2004)
b) Make budgetary allocations and monitor investments

2. Accord a substantial push to demand-generation activities in both rural and urban areas, focussed on addressing key barriers to adoption of safe sanitation options and hygiene practices:
a) SACOSAN III (New Delhi 2008, item 4.l) committed on this but needs actual deployment of resources to this end

3. Adopt a differentiated and targetted approach to accelerate access to sanitation and water, for disadvantaged and hitherto excluded groups and geographical regions:
a) Considerable in-country variations that need to be addressed in off-track countries (as well as in pockets of on-track countries)
b) May require extra budgetary resources, deployment of additional personnel, arrangements for materials, and special monitoring (e.g. special approaches for hardcore poor (Ban); TSC in MP tribal areas in India); Urban Slums (e.g. Mumbai SSP)

4. Focussed efforts to involve non-state players (incl. private sector, NGOs, etc.) in provision and management of sanitation and water projects in urban and rural areas:
a) Considerable untapped potential
b) Demonstrations available in South Asia e.g. the Maldives Water Contract

5. Ensure sustainability of outcomes and impacts through:
a) Appropriate Technologies
b) Financing for O&M management – and to increasingly move toward user-tariff financed systems
c) Appropriate water resources management
d) Institutional Arrangements and Management Systems
e) Capacity building (incl. personnel and organizational capacities)
f) Promoting accountability and transparency through mechanisms such as ring-fencing revenues and expenditures
g) Gender mainstreaming
h) Other aspects (inter-sectoral coordination)

6. Invest in the development of technologies, practices and delivery mechanisms for application in areas prone to natural disasters and recurrent flooding, etc:


7. Strengthen monitoring through:
a) Attention to quality of service delivery
b) Collecting disaggregated data by socio-economic groups (incl disaggregated wealth quintiles) and regions
c) Completely feedback loops timely
d) Reconciling/detailing the globally accepted definitions and norms (e.g. JMP definition) with country-specific definitions and systems
e) Focussing on measuring outcomes

Monwar Ali