Ex-post Evaluation

1. Outline of the Project

Country:

Bangladesh

Project title:

The Project for Modernizing, Rehabilitation and Expansion of Chandnighat Water Treatment Plant

Issue/Sector:

Water Supply

Cooperation Scheme:

Grant Aid

Division in Charge:

Grant Aid Management Department

Total Cost:

3,743 million yen

Period of Cooperation

(E/N):FY 1993, 1994-1996

Partner Country’s Implementing Organization:

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewage Authority

Supporting Organization in Japan:

Related Cooperation:

1-1 Background of the Project

The majority of Bangladesh people use water from shallow wells, rivers, and ponds for everyday activities including drinking, washing and bathing. Accordingly, they are living in extremely unsanitary conditions and 80% of all diseases in Bangladesh can be attributed to water. In particular, water-borne diarrhea is responsible for Bangladesh’s 30% infant mortality rate. In the capital of Dhaka, the population is increasing rapidly while the development of tap water resources lags behind. Particularly in the area of Old Dhaka where the population is particularly concentrated, there is fear of land subsidence due to the overdrawing of existing wells. Under these conditions, the government of Bangladesh through Dhaka Water Supply and Sewage Authority (DWASA) requested Grant Aid from Japan.

1-2 Project Overview

The project renovated, expanded, and modernized the Chandnighat water treatment plant, only water treatment facility in Dhaka that uses surface water, for the purpose of supplying safe drinking water for the residents of Dhaka.

(1) Overall Goal
The living conditions of the people in the south of Dhaka are improved.

(2) Project Purpose
Hygienic water is stably supplied for the people in the south of Dhaka.

(3) Outputs
1) The Chandnighat water treatment plant is renovated.
2) The main water distribution pipes are laid.
3) The management system for the Chandnighat water treatment plant is established.

(4) Inputs

Japanese Side:

1993: 104 million yen, 1994: 939 million yen, 1995: 1,830 million yen, 1996: 870 million yen.

Bangladesh Side:

Counterparts

Land and Facilities

Local Cost

2. Evaluation Team

Members of Evaluation Team

M Humayun Kabir, Crown Agents

Period of Evaluation

January 14 – February 26, 2003

Type of Evaluation:

Ex-post Evaluation by Overseas Office

3. Results of Evaluation

3-1 Summary of Evaluation Results

(1) Impact
It is the overall policy goal of Bangladesh to increase the supply of safe drinking water through improving and expanding the water treatment plants in the area of Old Dhaka in the metropolitan area where the population is concentrated. Renovations and laying down conduit pipes boosted the supply capacity of the water treatment plant from 17,000m3 per day to the targeted level of 39,000m3 per day. However, the quantity of water consumed has fallen during dry periods due to the lower water level, and the supply is also lower than expected.

Responding to the residents’ complaint about the odor in the water caused by a rapid increase in population in the area around the rivers which resulted in the deterioration of the living environment, the water from deep wells is combined with that from the Saidabad water treatment plant and distributed, particularly in the dry periods of the year. According to the regular data on the safety of the distributed water, the water meets the criteria for heavy metals and microbes. The number of people suffering from diarrhea (not limited to water-borne diarrhea) in the two wards in the Old Dhaka area is low at 30 cases per month out of a population of 20,000. Although the lack of data from the period before the project makes comparison impossible, the condition deems to have improved.

(2) Sustainability
After handing over the project, DWASA strived on its own to purchase the electricity generators necessary to maintain a stable supply of electricity, adopted measures such as laying down new intake pumps and maintained the water supply, so it would appear that DWASA can uphold current standards in the short term. However, in the long term, DWASA will have to deal with drastic changes in the Buriganga river environment such as domestic wastewater and garbage from the area around the river where the new intake pumps were installed, the decrease in the width of the river due to expanded slum areas and construction work on bank protection, and decreasing water levels due to the accretion of sand at the upper reaches of the river.

DWASA has a solid financial profile, and there is no problem concerning costs for necessary maintenance and operations and staff allocation. Interviews showed that the staff were receiving training in maintaining and managing the water treatment plants. The water quality is being regularly analyzed for hazardous substances such as heavy metals.

3-2 Factors that promoted realization of effects

(1) Factors Concerning the Planning
N/A

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
DWASA adopted methods to maintain water distribution and improve the water quality on its own.

3-3 Factors that Impeded Realization of Effects

(1) Factors Concerning the Planning
N/A

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
1) External factors negatively affecting the project results include the changes in the Buriganga river environment described above, the degrading water quality due to the deterioration of the environment and the decrease in water consumption.
2) Internal factors are the followings: Due to the low voltage in electricity supply, generators can only operate for two to three hours per day; the plant cannot operate at night in a densely populated area due to the restrictions on the times the water is distributed.

3-4 Conclusion

The project helped to increase the supply capacity of the water treatment plant to 39,000m3 but there are still problems remaining concerning the stable water supply during the dry season. The amount of water distributed after the transfer and utilization maintained drinking water for the area.

3-5 Recommendations

(1) DWASA should discuss with relevant organizations such as the Water Development Board and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives to review ways in maintaining the water level and to improve the water quality of the Buriganga river such as measures to deal with the slums, environmental campaigns for residents, and treatment of upstream waste water.

(2) In the short term, DWASA should take measures to boost the current water supply, such as stabilizing voltage.

3-6 Lessons Learned

For the implementation of a similar project, a social and environmental study and a natural condition study should be fully operated with the scheme of development study prior to the planning stage (basic design).

3-7 Follow-up Situation

N/A