The fast-growing city of Dhaka faces a rapidly diminishing supply of groundwater, which is the main source of drinking water for its 11 million inhabitants. Due to urban and population growth, needs for drinking water are expected to double by 2030, whilst the region’s groundwater levels are falling by 2 to 3 metres each year. To meet this challenge, the Bangladeshi government has launched a program (the Dhaka Water Supply Project) to preserve the region’s groundwater by sourcing 80% of the water needed by Dhaka’s inhabitants from surface water (compared to 20% currently).
The contract includes the designing, construction and operation of a drinking water production plant consisting of a raw water intake, 21 km of pipeline and a treatment plant in the Gandharbpur area of Dhaka. With a capacity of 500,000 m3/day, the plant will treat water from the Meghna river to provide drinking water to around 4.3 million Dhaka residents.
The contract provides for a 4-year plant design and construction phase, which will be followed by the operation and maintenance of the plant for a 3-year period. The two partners will ensure the progressive transfer of know-how to the public authority staff.
The water produced by the plant will comply with international regulations (World Health Organisation) thanks to the technologies (rapid decantation and filtration) provided by the two partners. The plant facilities will be designed and built to be both flood- and earthquake-resistant, both of which are common occurrences in the region.
This project draws on the know-how and expertise in water treatment held by the two French international groups. SUEZ already has a presence in Bangladesh, where it has built the Saidabad 1 and 2 drinking water production plants, which each have a capacity of 225,000 m3/day.
Source: Company Press Release
