Dhaka to come under full sewerage network by 2027: WASA

The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) will bring the entire capital under sewerage coverage by 2027.

Currently, 18-20 per cent area in the capital is under the sewerage control while the rest will gradually come under the authority’s jurisdiction.

Dhaka WASA Managing Director Taqsem A Khan said this at a view-exchange meeting with reporters at the agency’s Buriganga Hall on Saturday.

“We are working to ensure sewerage facility for residents since 2016 by dividing Dhaka into five cluster areas. The construction work is in progress,” he said.

A total of five sewerage treatment plants are now on the cards. Some new plants will be set up at Dasherkandi, Uttara, Rayerbazar and Mirpur while the existing ones at Pagla will be renovated. Taqsem claimed that his agency is in better position now compared to what was evident in 2009, and is working to ensure environmentally friendly, sustainable water supply for Dhaka residents.

“We became a role model among the water-supplying agencies in south Asian countries,” he went on to say.

“We went through reformation in 2009. In 2013, Dhaka WASA became self-dependent. The Asian Development Bank sees it as a role model for others.” Water production, supply and revenue collection are comparatively sound even amid the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

Dhaka WASA extracts 66 per cent ground water and uses 34 per cent surface water against its target of 70 per cent surface and 30 per cent underground for a sustainable water supply, he informed the meeting.

Asked about dirty water quality, Taqsem said to ensure quality water Dhaka WASA has been implementing District Metered Area (DMA) dividing Dhaka into 145 zones to be completed by December 2023. Of the zones, 71 have already have been divided.

“We achieved a lot over the past 13 years. In 2009, non-revenue water was 35 per cent which is now 5-9 per cent in DMA area,” according to the managing director.

He said revenue collection was 64 per cent which is now 100 per cent. Dhaka WASA produces 260-crore liter of water daily to meet the demand against its daily capacity 270 to 280 crore litres.

The present production cost of per unit (1,000 litres) is Tk 25 while its sale price is Tk 15.18.

Dhaka WASA Director Abul Kashem, Commercial Manager Uttam Kumar Roy, head of admin Shameen Haque and Chief Accountant Nishat Mazumder were, among others, present at the meeting.