By Md Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, Aug 7, 2023 (BSS) - Rajshahi Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (RWASA) has taken decisions of supplying drinkable water to hundred percent people in the city and its adjacent areas through a treatment plant by 2027.
 
RWASA sources said they have adopted a mega plan to ensure water quality coupled with meeting the water deficit. Upon successful implementation of the project by 2027, 20 crore liters of water will be purified every day.
 
The drinkable water will be supplied to the people of Rajshahi city and its surrounding Naohata and Katakhali pourashava.
 
RWASA Chief Engineer Parvez Mamud said the treatment plant will be installed at Sarangpur area adjacent to the Padma River under Godagari upazila around 26 kilometers off the Rajshahi city to clean and purify the river water.
 
A delegation of the project implementing Chinese company has been working at the site.
 
Engineer Mamud said the Hunan Construction Engineering Group of the company has been implementing the Taka 4,062 crore project. 
 
Chief Engineer Mamud said daily water demand in the city is around 130 MLD at present and 98.037 MLD waters are being abstracted from underground through pumps, while nine MLD from surface water totaling 107.04 MLD water to meet the demands.
 
He said they are supplying 10.70 crore liters of water daily to over 6.44 lakh populations through 110 production pumps and 859-kilometer pipeline network.
 
They have already signed an agreement with the Chinese company to implement the project--to increase the surface-level water supply by reducing Rajshahi's dependence on groundwater.
 
Required lands were acquired through the district administration for implementing the project.
 
Another project styled "Water Supply System Rehabilitation in Rajshahi City Project" is also being implemented aimed at improving the life standard of the people through supplying safe water at the interim period.
 
RWASA Managing Director Zakir Hossain said the Sharengpur site has been selected after assessing its water availability round the year. Prior to the selection, Institute of Water Modeling (IWM) has conducted a feasibility study on 40 years of water statistics.
 
There will be no water deficit in the city when the project is implemented. After meeting the water demands in the city the RWASA will be able to supply drinkable water to the adjacent two pourashava.  
 
RWASA is always committed to maintain integrity in all its service delivery activities particularly water supply for betterment of the service recipients.
 
Managing Director Zakir Hossain said they are persistently working with the vision of establishing a sustainable and smart water management system through ensuring transparency, accountability and participation of all stakeholders.
 
He said there is a need for enhancing water tariff for proper adjustment between earning and expenditure. As an autonomous and state-owned entity the RWASA has to be self-dependent through increasing revenue earning.
 
Zakir Hossain mentioned that they earned revenues worth Taka 15.32 crore till June last against the expenditure of Taka 20.67 crore annually.
 
He, however, said they have no intention to increase financial pressure on the clients in general but they have to reduce the existing gap between the earning-expenditure ratios.
 
Mr Hossain sought cooperation of the city dwellers to mitigate the problem as they have a vital role towards proper functioning of the water supplying body.