$149m WB aid to Dhaka WASA for improving its services

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FE Report
Global lender World Bank (WB) will provide US$149 million fund to Dhaka WASA, capital's lone water supply authority, to improve its ailing services to the city dwellers, officials said.
The Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the Bangladesh government will sign a deal with the multilateral donor agency tomorrow (Wednesday) in Dhaka to get the financial support.
"The ailing Dhaka WASA has taken some schemes with the possible financial assistance of the WB to improve its service. It will develop its water supply and sewerage system a lot within a couple of years," a WASA official said.
Following the prevailing poor water supply and sewerage system in the capital, the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has taken a vigorous move to improve its services. Dhaka is one of the fastest growing megacities in the world, and its population is expected to reach nearly 22 million by 2025, up from about 12 million currently.
The population growth is placing serious strains on the city's ability to provide basic water, sanitation and drainage services to its citizens. Delivery of these services throughout Dhaka is inadequate and uneven, but is particularly poor in slum areas.
The lone water supply authority in Dhaka has had a supply capacity of some 1.70 billion litres of water a day against the demand for more than 2.0 billion litres. Out of the capacity, WASA fails to supply the water fully to the customers due to its more than 35 per cent system loss.
Currently WASA supplies water to 70 per cent of the population of the Dhaka metropolitan area and its suburbs only.
The WB-funded project is designed to improve sustainable delivery of storm water drainage, waste water, and water services by the WASA.