Ctg Wasa plans $300m project to modernise port city's water supply

Chattogram Wasa has aimed to upgrade the port city's water supply system through a $300 million project by replacing 300km of pipelines, setting up 46 District Metering Areas (DMAs), and installing 40,000 smart metres for customers.

Additionally, as part of this project, 40 deep tube-wells will be installed to ensure preparedness during emergency situations.

Stakeholders say the successful implementation of this project will effectively address the longstanding issue of providing water to the distant residents of the city.

Sources in Chattogram Wasa say the World Bank has committed to providing $250 million in loan assistance for the project, while the government will contribute the remaining $50 million.

The project's feasibility study has already been completed by SUEZ, a consulting firm based in France.

According to the feasibility study, the pipeline replacement will lead to the development and expansion of the water supply network. The establishment of the DMAs in five sectors, alongside the deployment of smart water metres featuring automated metre reading capabilities, will significantly curtail non-revenue water consumption.

A District Metered Area (DMA) is a section of a water distribution network that is isolated from the rest of the network by valves. It allows the water supply to be metered so that the amount of water supplied can be compared to the amount of water consumed by the customers.

Rezaul Ahsan Chowdhury, executive engineer of Chattogram Wasa, told The Business Standard that preparations are underway for the proposal of the new project. After getting ministry approval, the subsequent loan agreement will be established with the donor agency, with the aim of starting the project by June 2024.

He said, "Serviceable old pipelines will be retained, while others will be replaced. In Kalurghat, 40 deep tubewells will be installed to address instances of turbid or saline water."

He further said, "The installation of DMAs and smart metres will enable comprehensive tracking of water supply and pressure. Additionally, there are plans for two stores located in Nasirabad and Halishahar areas within the city."

According to sources, the water supply infrastructure serving Patenga, Kattali, Zakir Hossain Road, Dakshin Khulshi, Foy's Lake, Akbar Shah, and Hathajari heavily relies on around 400km of old pipelines. 

Residents within these localities have consistently voiced grievances regarding inadequate water pressure, which has resulted in insufficient water delivery to their households.

The project will address the issue by establishing new pipelines, they say.

Makshud Alam, chief engineer of Chattogram Wasa, told TBS, "Certain areas of the city are still reliant on outdated pipelines. The absence of modern technology like the District Metering Area hampers precise control over the water supply. 

Consequently, the required monitoring and regulation of water pressure are compromised. The successful execution of this project would ensure consistent water supply for our customers."

He further said, "Currently, the existing pipelines extend only up to the road intersections. From there, smaller pipes branch out to individual households. However, the new network will directly connect to pipelines adjacent to each customer's residence."

According to Chattogram Wasa, the company currently operates a pipeline network spanning around 1,300 km within a 168.21 square kilometre area of the port city. Out of this, 45 km is under the Karnaphuli Water Supply Project-01 and 150 km is under the Chattogram Water Supply Development and Sanitation Project.

Additionally, the Karnaphuli Water Supply Project-02 has accomplished the replacement of 700 km of pipelines across a 55 square kilometre area. This project introduced District Metering Area technology, facilitating the continuous monitoring and regulation of water supply quantity and pressure. A total of 59 DMAs were strategically integrated as part of this initiative.

Beyond the urban centre, an entirely new pipeline network spanning 133km is being established under the Vandal-Juri Water Supply Project. This will serve three upazilas – Boalkhali, Patia, and Anwara – signifying a significant expansion of the water supply infrastructure to these regions.

As per Chattogram Wasa, in the port city, the current count of residential connections stands at 78,542, while commercial connections total 7,767. This collective network caters to approximately 3.2 million people within the city. The daily water production capacity reaches 50 crore litres, matching the existing demand for the same volume.