Policy enforcement is key to ensure safe drinking water: US official

Enforcement of policies is the key to combat water pollution for ensuring safe drinking water in Bangladesh, an official of the United States (US) said here today on the eve of the World Water Day.

“There can be gaps between policies and enforcement, but the question is how big the gap is as it will determine the quality of the water,” he said at a debriefing session in the capital.

The official said that policies alone are not enough to ensure safe drinking water to people, the role of media and public awareness are also important.

He showed an example that how lives were brought back in the dead rivers in the United States through proper policy and implementation.

Asked whether the US government has any plan to provide assistance to revitalize heavy polluted Buriganga river, he said that no plan is yet on the card from the US side regarding this.

The official said that United States Agency for international development (USAID) has been working in Bangladesh through various projects to ensure safe water for the people of Bangladesh for quite a long time while Washington is committed to work in the future in this field.

As environment forest and climate change minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury asked for US assistance in monitoring wet land, forest and river contamination in Bangladesh, he said Washington is actively considering these.

“We (the US) believe, we have capabilities to do such kind of programmes on how to manage water in Bangladesh,” he said.

The US government has taken up a project titled “US Global Water Strategy—2022-2027” through which 22 million people will get safe drinking water and the same amount of people will access safe sanitation across the world.

“Bangladesh will also be benefited immensely from this strategy,” said the official.

Bangladesh’s water strategy will also benefit from the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Sea Level Rise Viewer, he mentioned.

He said, the USAID is focusing on giving importance to rainwater harvesting to reduce stress on excessive use of groundwater in Bangladesh.

In recognition of this growing challenge with water, in 2023, the United States committed up to $49 billion to support climate-resilient water and sanitation infrastructure and services at home and abroad.

Describing the US water cooperation with Bangladesh, the official mentioned an initiative named Drinkwell, which provides safe water through ATM booths around 300 locations in Dhaka.

The USAID partnered with Drinkwell whose water treatment plant uses advanced technology to remove arsenic, iron, and other heavy metal as well as microbes from water, making it safe for drinking.

Drinkwell’s plant can treat and supply 5,000-8,000 liters of safe drinking water daily and rural households purchase water from the plant using an electronic water user card, which they register for and preload with money.

This “water ATM” enables individuals to access safe drinking water at an affordable price, contributing to overall household well- being, reducing the burden on women for collecting water, and allowing users to go cashless.

The US government is extending support to the government, private sector, and civil societies with new technologies to ensure the supply of safe water in different parts of the country, especially the adversely affected and hard-to-reach areas.

Under the US-Bangladesh Cooperation on Water, the USAID’s nutrition project is actively collaborating with the Department of Public Health Engineering to engage with private sector actors to provide improved water solutions, and updating water safety plans to ensure clean water access for rural communities.

USAID is also improving drinking water and latrines to reduce food-borne illness and its effects on nutrition outcomes.

USAID trained over 400 handwashing station producers last year through awareness sessions to effectively market and use affordable hand hygiene products.

USAID has also helped Bangladesh better protect its natural resources and biodiversity by bringing together local communities and the government to co-manage nearly 2.5 million acres of wetlands and forest areas.

In addition, USAID setup solar-powered water pumps for communities in the region, enabling access to safe drinking water as well as cultivation of farmland for food and income. (BSS)