Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, WASA, has taken various initiatives to meet the city dwellers’ growing demand for fresh and safe water. As part of the initiatives, it organised a workshop on DWASA International Training and Research Academy, at its office in the city on Thursday.
As the government’s target is to reach safe and fresh drinking water to the city people, it has been working to this end. The government is implementing three projects--- the Padma (Jashaldia) Water Treatment Plant (phase-1) and Well Field Construction Project at Tetuljhora-Bhakurta in Savar Upazila (Phase-1) project, and Gandhapur Water Treatment Plant at Rupganj in Narayanganj.
The first two projects have the capacity of supplying 45 crore and 15 crore litres of water respectively, while the third has the capacity to treat 50 crore litres of water. Apart from the city people, WASA has already ensured legal and safe water connections in the slums of the capital, and set targets to take all the slums under the safe water supply network gradually.
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister, Md Tajul Islam, took part in the programme as the chief guest The LGRD Minister said, WASA is struggling to supply adequate, safe and pure water to the city people. “WASA is supplying water to the large number of people of capital Dhaka. It is a very difficult task for us to ensure adequate and safe water,” he said.
Md Tajul Islam said, all should come forward to ensure a good sewerage system and water supply. “I’m urging the Asian Development Bank to come up with more investment in ensuring pure and adequate water for the city people,” he added. He said, the government has been implementing programmes with an aim to achieving SDGs by 2030.
“Ensuring sustainable sewerage system and water supply are the parts of gaining Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). So all officials have to be more active to achieve our goal,” he added. WASA Managing Director, Taqsem A Khan, was in the chair and said, they had started giving training to the officials in this regard.
Local Government Division Secretary, Md Helal Uddin Ahmed, laid emphasis on proper implementation of officials’ service, saying outcome would depend on the officials who provide services.