The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Drinking fresh water right from the tap is still a dream for millions of villagers in Bangladesh. But, it is a different story in 12 villages of five districts where some 10,000 people have had access to piped water supply, thanks to the World Bank and the Social Development Foundation for making it possible through a unique project.

The Social Development Foundation, which is implementing the government's Social Investment Program Project (SIPP) with assistance from the World Bank, launched the water pilot under 'Private Financing of Public Utilities' Scheme, an innovative model of public, private and people's participation.

The villages benefiting from this water pilot are Dorogram and Saturia Bazar in Sadar upazila of Manikganj, Ganipur and Shahidabad in Zakiganj upazila of Sylhet, Sufiabad, Chosna, Ghagra and Latimi in Sadar upazila of Feni, Puran Bausia in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj, Chamagram, Laharpur and Laxmipur in Chapainawabganj districts.

What is unique in this pilot is active participation and decision making by the communities; full ownership of managing and operating the system; and an innovative example of public-private and people's participation.

The special feature of this water pilot is the mandatory inclusion of vulnerable group or groups and poorer section in the service network, as the WB Grant aims to address the needs of the poor. "So, the tribal people, people with disability and vulnerable groups get the preference in bringing the communities under the service network," said an SDF official.

The growing fresh water crisis in the country has prompted SDF to go for such a project. In Bangladesh, tube-wells are widely used for domestic water supply, but the presence of arsenic, excess iron and other chemical contaminants in shallow aquifer have increased the vulnerability of safe water in the country.

Besides, tube-wells cannot meet the growing demand of water for drinking, primary healthcare and other household needs. There are areas in the country where thousands of women and children have to spend several hours everyday collecting water from distant but often polluted sources.

In 40 of the 50 diseases prevalent in Bangladesh, including diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, parasitic worm infestation and polio, are caused by unsafe water.

But things have changed in the 12 villages. They are now getting safe treated water thrice a day and they have to pay Tk 100 for a single tap while Tk 120 for multiple taps and Tk 75 for a single shared tap (for vulnerable group) per month.

"Now I'm a very happy person, as I'm getting safe water sitting at home. I'm grateful to the sponsor, SDF and the World Bank for providing me safe water. It helps my grandchildren stay away from waterborne diseases," says Kulsum Begum, a 65-year-old widow who lives with her two grandchildren at Chosna village in Feni district. The sponsor here has so far connected about 345 households (53%).

Dorogram, a village of some 6000 people, is located 70 km off capital Dhaka. Some 418 households (82%), including all the vulnerable ones, have so far been brought under the water supply network.

"This water pilot is not only providing clean water, but it has also reduced the incidence of outbreak of waterborne diseases. Most importantly, this has eased the lives of women who used to fetch drinking water from distant sources," says Dorogram union parishad chairman Elahi Baksha.

Zarina Begum, wife of Misir Ali of Puran Bausia in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj district, says life has become much easier for her since she has got piped water connection at her home. "I got the connection by only paying Tk 1,000. There were days when I used go to our nearby river for taking my bath and now I'm doing that at home."

About the total project cost, the SDF official said it would range from Tk 6 to 8 million with the SDF providing 40 percent of it as grant, while the sponsors 50 percent and the rest 10 percent coming from the communities.

The six water pilots are being implemented with six participating sponsors under Build-Operate-Own (BOO) method. They are BROTEE, BURO Bangladesh, GONOSHASTYA KENDRA (GK), Hilful Fuzul Samaj Kalyan Sangstha (HFSKS), Masjid Council for Community Advancement (MACCA) and Mothers' Society.

The sponsors hope that they would be able to mark their success in encouraging private sector investment in water supply service delivery of Bangladesh.

There is nothing unique in safe water crisis in Bangladesh.

According to available information, over one billion people across the world lack access to safe water and waterborne diseases cause over 80 percent of illnesses in the developing world (third world nations). The United Nations has reported the death of over 6,000 people per day from such diseases with children being the worst victims.

At any given time, half of the world's hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from waterborne diseases and the situation in Bangladesh is even worse.