World Bank Helps Bangladesh Scale Up Safe Rural Water Supply

Washington, June 17, 2004—The Government of Bangladesh will embark upon an innovative approach to expanding the provision of safe, rural drinking water through the promotion of piped water supply.  The effort will be supported by a US$40 million grant approved today by the World Bank.

Bangladesh has made huge advances in providing its rural population with access to household water supply.  However, bacteriological contamination and the more recently discovered presence of unsafe levels of arsenic in well water have hampered the country’s goal of providing safe water for all of its people. 

“Small-scale implementation of arsenic mitigation or prevention options, such as promoting the use of commonly-shared wells which have tested safe for arsenic, actually represent a step backwards in the context of Bangladesh.  The rural population has become used to a high service level in terms of privately-owned hand pumps in their yards,” said Karin Kemper, World Bank Senior Water Resources Management Specialist and task leader for the project.

Studies have indicated that communities value the convenience of piped water supply even more than the elimination of arsenic from their water and that they are willing to pay for such an increase in service level.  According to Kemper, this option could meet the population’s need for both convenience and safety.

Besides arsenic, bacteria in water also remains a problem and, despite improved facilities, water-related diseases continue to be a common occurrence with a large number of deaths due to diarrheal diseases every year.

“In embarking on this innovative approach to provide piped water, the Government is taking a bold step towards creating new institutional arrangements in the sector and, at the same time, promoting decentralization of the provision of services to the local levels. We hope this project will help the government increase coverage and quality of water supply, in particular to the poorer populations, which is essential to increased health and productivity in the country,” said Kemper

The project will support the government’s evolving Water Supply Program and will promote the participation of a wide variety of stakeholders, including the private sector and NGOs in piped water supply.  It will also support the development of adequate regulations, monitoring, capacity building and training.  In small villages of less than 200 households where arsenic levels are unsafe, and where piped water supply is not viable, the project will provide traditional arsenic mitigation options.

The total cost of the project is US$ 55 million.  US$40 million will be provided by the World Bank’s International Development Association as a free grant.  The remainder will be provided through government, private sector and community contributions.