In the September – October 2024 edition of the Water & Wastewater Asia, Ms. Sharmistha Debnath. executive engineer, Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) and, our Bangladesh country manager, Mr. Uttam Saha, shared how water is managed in Bangladesh by our two organizations.
The following is an excerpt of the article by Amira Yunos and you can read the full article here: Barriers and blessings of Bangladesh’s water infrastructure.
Tell us about Bangladesh’s water infrastructure, and how DPHE works to strengthen its resilience.
Sharmistha Debnath: Bangladesh, characterised by its vast river systems and low-lying topography, faces challenges in managing its water infrastructure. The country’s water infrastructure includes rivers, canals, embankments, sluices, dams, and an extensive network of water supply and sanitation facilities. Flooding, riverbank erosion, and saline intrusion are prevalent issues, exacerbated by climate change and rising sea levels. While progress has been made, Bangladesh’s water infrastructure still faces challenges, such as an ageing infrastructure. Many water management structures are old and require upgrades to handle increasing pressures from population growth and climate change. Bangladesh also has water quality issues as contamination from industrial pollutants, agricultural runoff, and arsenic remains a concern.
Bangladesh is crisscrossed by major rivers like the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna, along with their numerous tributaries. These rivers are vital for agriculture, transportation, and livelihoods but pose flooding and erosion risks. To protect against floods, Bangladesh has constructed numerous embankments and dams. However, many of these structures are old and require regular maintenance and upgrades to withstand extreme weather events. The country relies heavily on irrigation for agriculture, particularly in the dry season. This includes a network of canals, pumps, and tube wells.
Urban areas have more advanced water supply systems, including treatment plants and distribution networks. However, rapid urbanisation has strained these systems, leading to challenges in providing clean and safe water to all residents. Rural areas predominantly depend on groundwater sources, such as tube wells and hand pumps. Ensuring safe drinking water in these areas is challenging due to arsenic contamination and seasonal variations in water availability.
The DPHE is the primary government agency responsible for planning, implementing, and managing water supply and sanitation projects across Bangladesh, with a focus on rural and peri-urban areas.
DPHE has been at the forefront of addressing arsenic contamination in groundwater. The agency tests water sources, installs arsenic removal technologies, and promotes alternative safe water sources. It also establishes and maintains water treatment plants (WTPs) to ensure the provision of safe drinking water, in urban and peri-urban areas. It collaborates with research institutions and international organisations to develop its R&D and implement water management solutions.
DPHE also constructs and promotes the use of improved sanitation facilities, such as hygienic latrines, to reduce open defecation and improve public health. It conducts awareness campaigns and educational programmes on the importance of handwashing, personal hygiene, and sanitation practices. In addition, DPHE also collaborates with other agencies to construct and maintain embankments, sluices, and flood control structures. It implements early warning systems, emergency water supply measures, and disaster response plans to ensure water supply during floods and other emergencies. As such, DPHE has adopted a holistic approach to managing water resources, integrating the needs of agriculture, industry, and domestic use with an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Through public-private partnerships (PPPs) and capacity building, DPHE leverages the strengths of both public and private sectors to enhance water infrastructure development and management, as well as enhance the technical and managerial capacities of local stakeholders to ensure effective implementation and maintenance of water infrastructure projects.