Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with long-standing financial and technical assistance, Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA) has increased its daily water production capacity from 360 million litres to 500 million litres. To meet the city’s growing demand for water, the utility has sought JICA’s support for a new initiative aimed at adding another 100 million litres of daily production capacity.
The information was shared during a meeting held on Tuesday at the CWASA headquarters between JICA Bangladesh Chief Representative Takahashi Junko, Representative Hideki Osawa, Deputy Program Manager Md. Abdullah Bin Hossain, and CWASA Managing Director Engineer Salim Md. Jane Alam.
WASA Managing Director Salim Said, the development partnership between JICA and CWASA began in 2006 with the Karnaphuli Water Supply Project. Under the first phase, a water treatment plant with a capacity of 143 million litres per day, 67 kilometres of pipelines, two large reservoirs, and an overhead tank were constructed.
In the second phase, financed by JICA, another 143 million-litre-per-day water treatment plant was established along with new reservoirs, an overhead tank, 750 kilometres of distribution pipelines, 59 District Metered Areas (DMAs) and a modern Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.
Selim Md. Jane Alam said these projects have significantly enhanced CWASA’s production capacity and contributed substantially to improving water supply services across the city.
He said, Chattogram currently requires approximately 650 million litres of water per day, leaving a shortfall of around 150 million litres. With rapid urbanisation and population growth, demand is expected to increase further in the coming years. CWASA has requested JICA’s support to conduct a feasibility study for an additional water treatment facility with a capacity of 100 million litres per day at the Karnaphuli Water Treatment Plant site.
The meeting also highlighted the progress of ongoing sanitation projects aimed at ensuring environmentally sustainable urban development.
Officials said that JICA-funded sewerage projects in Kalurghat and Bakalia are currently under implementation. Once completed, these projects are expected to help transform Chattogram into a cleaner, more modern and more liveable city.
Expressing gratitude for JICA’s continued support, both sides voiced optimism about expanding cooperation in smart water management, modern sanitation systems and sustainable urban development in the future.
Among those present at the meeting were CWASA Acting Chief Engineer and Project Director Mohammad Nurul Amin, Superintending Engineer (T&P Circle) Muhammad Mahbubul Alam, Assistant Engineer Md. Abu Bakkar Siddique, and senior officials from the JICA Bangladesh Office.