Rajshahi: To address the acute crisis of safe drinking water, Rajshahi Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (RWASA) has undertaken an initiative to treat Padma water and supply it in the neighborhood.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Surface Water Treatment Plant Project is being implemented at a cost of approximately Taka 4,062.23 crore. Under the project, a modern water treatment plant is being constructed in the Sarengpur area of Godagari upazila, Rajshahi. About 46 percent of the project's work has been completed.
RWASA is implementing this project in collaboration with China's Hunan Construction Engineering Group Company Limited. Sarengpur was selected for the project due to its location at the confluence of the Padma and Mahananda rivers, where water remains about 30 feet deep year-round. Under the project, water will be collected from the Padma River, treated, and transported via pipeline to a booster pump station in Haripur, Paba upazila. Purified water will then be supplied to city residents, as well as to 30 wards in Katakhali, Nowhata, and Godagari.
The initiative is expected to significantly reduce dependence on groundwater, which is declining in the Barind region due to excessive use for farming and daily activities. The Rajshahi region faces severe water shortages during summer, with many areas unable to find water without deep tube wells, causing hardship for residents.
A site visit showed that construction of the water treatment plant and booster pump station is progressing well. Installation of the transmission pipeline from Kashiadanga to the highway in Rajshahi city is also advancing. The project, approved in June 2018, began construction in July 2023 and is scheduled for completion by June 2027.
Local residents express hope for the project. Maruf Ahmed from Upashahar stated that if WASA completes the project successfully, water problems would be resolved. Nayan Ali from Bhadra emphasized that purifying water from the Padma River will ease pressure on groundwater.
Project Director and Chief Engineer of Rajshahi WASA, Parvez Mamud, noted that upon completion, the project will provide 200 million liters of iron- and bacteria-free water daily. Rajshahi's current water demand is about 130 million liters daily, and by 2035, the project aims to meet 100 percent of this demand, reducing reliance on groundwater and ensuring water security for future generations.
Engineer S M Obaidul Islam from the University of Rajshahi highlighted the urgency of the project, noting that water scarcity will become a major challenge due to declining groundwater levels from lack of rainfall and heatwaves. Implementing the Padma water treatment project is seen as vital to alleviating pressure on groundwater resources.