Dhaka partners with Tokyo for improved sewerage services

The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) has partnered with the Bureau of Sewerage of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government through a high-level dialogue between Bangladesh and Japan, facilitated by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to promote improved sewerage services.

An MoU has been signed between the two organisations in this regard to start a 1-year cooperation programme under Water Organisations Partnership for Resilience, said a press release.

According to the MoU, cooperation activities will be implemented in the areas of smart and resilient sewerage services with a focus on the efficient energy plan, climate change adaptation and mitigation, efficient operation and maintenance, sludge management, and compact sewerage treatment plants.

The cooperation activities will also aim to transfer best practices, expertise, and technology through peer-to-peer exchanges between Dhaka Wasa and the Bureau of Sewerage, Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Based on the cooperation activities outlined, a separate group of experts hired by ADB will assist Dhaka Wasa in preparing a Roadmap for Mainstreaming the Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable Sanitation Services Programme, expected to be completed by 30 July 2023.

The Water Sector Group at the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department of ADB is funding the cooperation, which is the first such initiative with a Japanese water or sewerage authority.

The high-level dialogue, led by Md Tazul Islam, minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRDC) of Bangladesh, took place from 3 to 6 October in Tokyo, Japan, which included meetings with the governor of the Tokyo and the minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan to discuss broader cooperation in sewerage sector.

Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, secretary for the Local Government Division, LGRDC; Taqsem A Khan, managing director, Dhaka Wasa; and Norio Saito, director for Urban Development and Water Division of ADB's South Asia Department, attended the meetings.

The Bangladesh high-level officials gained an understanding of the operational practices at the Bureau of Sewerage, Tokyo Metropolitan Government to ensure the quality of sewerage services while containing operational costs.

They observed several sewerage treatment plants to deepen their understanding of good facility design including how to secure green areas even in an urban setting and with efficient land use. The delegation also observed how sludge, one of the largest challenges in sewerage services, is efficiently treated in Tokyo.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members, 49 from the region.