Tk2,387cr project to supply river water to 9 towns

The government has proposed a Tk2,387.35 crore project to supply treated water from the Padma and Meghna rivers to nine towns, aiming to reduce pressure on groundwater sources and improve access to safe drinking water.

Under the proposed Cluster Town Water Supply and Sanitation Project, water from the Meghna River would be supplied to Chandpur, Hajiganj, Laksam and Cumilla, while the Padma River would serve Ishwardi, Pabna, Gopalpur and Natore, a senior Planning Commission official told the Daily Sun.

The Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) has submitted the project proposal to the Planning Commission. If approved, the project is scheduled to be implemented from January 2027 to December 2031, the official said.

Of the estimated cost, Tk548.35 crore would be financed by the government, while the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is expected to provide a loan of Tk1,839 crore.

The project aims to reduce dependence on groundwater by developing a cluster-based surface water supply system. Under this approach, a common and accessible water source would serve several nearby towns, making water supply more sustainable and cost-effective.

Ehteshamul Russel Khan, a superintending engineer at DPHE, said excessive pressure on groundwater had prompted the government to prioritise surface water for municipal supplies.

He said groundwater in the Ishwardi cluster, covering the municipalities of Ishwardi, Pabna, Natore and Gopalpur, contained high levels of arsenic and iron, while the water table had fallen significantly.

Similar problems had been identified in the Cumilla cluster, which includes Cumilla City Corporation and the municipalities of Laksam, Barura, Chandpur and Hajiganj, he added.

Although the initial project proposal listed eight towns, Barura was subsequently agreed to be included at a Planning Commission meeting after officials pointed out that it had been left out of the development project proposal despite facing similar groundwater problems.

According to DPHE, around 18% of people in the eight project towns are served by poor-quality water supply systems. More than half of the water is reportedly wasted because of damaged and ageing infrastructure, particularly deteriorating PVC pipelines.

The department also identified the absence of meters in household and other water connections as a factor contributing to wastage and making supply management difficult. Contaminated water entering damaged pipelines also poses risks to public health, while inadequate water quality and supply have weakened public confidence in existing systems.

Sustainable technology in focus

The proposed project includes the construction of river water intake points, treatment plants and transmission pipelines, as well as the repair, rehabilitation and replacement of ageing water supply infrastructure.

Sanitation improvements are also planned for Hajiganj and Gopalpur. Sanitation activities in the other six towns are already being implemented under separate DPHE projects.

DPHE officials said water scarcity caused by climate change and pollution was a nationwide concern. The department was pursuing area-specific solutions based on sustainable technologies, they added.

They cited initiatives to restore ponds and canals in the Barind region, where groundwater levels have declined, and projects to conserve rainwater in the coastal south, where salinity is a major problem.

Officials also said feasibility studies for the Ishwardi and Cumilla clusters had been conducted under an ADB-funded project on integrated and sustainable municipal water supply and sanitation in the Chattogram Hill Tracts.

The Planning Commission also raised the issue of Barura Municipality's omission from the proposal, noting the high levels of arsenic and iron in its groundwater and the declining water table.

DPHE Chief Engineer Md Jamanur Rahman said the municipality had been left out inadvertently and would be included when the development project proposal was revised. Meeting participants agreed to its inclusion.

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