Dhaka WASA has taken an initiative to construct five sewage treatment plants in order to keep the capital city clean by implementing cent percent sewage treatment.
The project will be implemented as per the 2014 sewage master plan with a target to complete by 2030.
The construction work of one of these plants at Dasherkandi is going on in full swing.
However, WASA authorities claim that the project will be completed much before the stipulated time.
According to Dhaka WASA sources, new sewage treatment plants are being constructed at Uttara, Mirpur, Rayerbazar, Dasherkandi and Pagla.
The initial activities of other four treatment plants including those at Rayerbazar,Pagla, Uttara and Mirpur are underway. Feasibility studies have been completed for several projects. Besides, the land acquisition for these projects is going on.
A city with around two crore people, Dhaka generates approximately 175 crore liters of wastewater every day. Of this, Dhaka WASA has the capacity to treat only 35 crore liters of sewage water daily.
The remaining 140 crore liters of sewage water ends up in rivers, canals and water reservoirs severely polluting the environment.
If these projects are implemented, 100 percent sewage water in the capital will be treated properly.
In this regard, Dhaka WASA Managing Director Engineer Taqsem A Khan told the Bangladesh Post, “In 2014, Dhaka WASA prepared a sewage master plan considering the issue of sanitation in the city. According to the master plan, it was scheduled to construct five sewage treatment plants by 2030. But, we will complete these projects by 2027. Now, Dhaka WASA can treat the waste water of only 20 percent areas. With the completion of the projects 100 percent sewage water of Dhaka will be treated.”
WASA MD said, “The construction work of Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Project at the cost of Tk 3,400 crore is nearing completion. The project, funded by the China Exim Bank, will be completed by 2021.”
About other project, he said, “The World Bank has already allocated funds for increasing the capacity of the existing sewage treatment plant at Pagla. World Bank will also allocate funds for two separate treatment plants at Uttara and Mirpur. Asian Development Bank (ADB) will co-finance these projects. Besides, feasibility study is being made for Rayerbazar area. Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) expressed their desire to funding here.”
“Other banks also want to give funds in WASA’s project. We will check whose scheme is better. Then, we will decide who will finance the project,” he added.
Pagla Sewage Treatment Plant: Initiatives have been taken to modernise the Pagla Sewage Treatment Plant. Under this project, 50,000 new sewage connections will be provided in Basabo, Motijheel, Malibagh, Segunbagicha, Magbazar, Donia and Shampur and surrounding areas.
Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the project on August 19, 2018. Dhaka WASA has set a deadline to complete the project by 2022. Through this project, the waste water of around 60 sq km area will be treated and discharged into ‘Balu’ river through Gazaria canal. The project, which is being implemented at a cost of Tk 3,318 crore, will provide sewage treatment facilities to around 50 lakh city dwellers in 20 areas including Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Baridhara DOHS, Bashundhara, Badda, Bhatara, Banasree, Kuril, Shukrabad, Farmgate, Tejgaon, Aftab Nagar and Niketan. At the same time, the Balu and Shitalakshya rivers will be free from pollution.
Uttara Sewage Treatment Plant: Feasibility study and conceptual design of this plant has been prepared under the’ Dhaka Water Supply and Sanitation Project was completed in 2016 funded by World Bank. Separate projects have been taken up for land acquisition. The initial cost of the project has been fixed at Tk 4,222 crore in two phases. If the project is implemented, at least 30 lakh people of Nikunj 1, Nikunj 2, Airport, Khilkhet, Uttar Khan, Dakshin Khan, Kawla, Uttara Model Town, Uttara phase III area will be benefited.
Mirpur Sewage Treatment Plant: Feasibility study and conceptual design of Mirpur Sewage Treatment Project was prepared in 2016 by World Bank funding. Land acquisition of the project has not started yet. The area covered by this project is from Mirpur-1 to Mirpur-10.
Rayerbazar Sewage Treatment Plant: Dhaka WASA has taken initiative to build a sewage treatment plant in Rayerbazar area with the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB). The estimated cost of the project will be determined after feasibility study. If the project is implemented, around 92 lakh city dwellers in Dhanmondi, Jhigatala, Newmarket, Azimpur, Hazaribagh, Mohammadpur, Lalmatia, Sobhanbagh and Rajarbagh areas will get the sewage treatment facilities.
About these projects, General Secretary of Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) Dr Adil Mohammad Khan, told the Bangladesh Post, “Hope, implementation of these projects will help build a clean and livable city. WASA has to work keeping in mind the time frame of the projects. Because if the duration of the project increases, the cost will increase automatically. So, the projects have to be implemented as soon as possible.”
