Dhaka, Tokyo launch cooperation for improved sewerage services

To promote improved sewerage services, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has facilitated a high-level dialogue between Bangladesh and Japan and launched a new partnership between Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and Bureau of Sewerage, Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The high-level dialogue, led by Md Tazul Islam, Bangladesh’s Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, took place from October 3 to 6 in Tokyo, Japan, a press release said on Thursday.

It included meetings with the governor of Tokyo and the minister for land, infrastructure, transport and tourism of Japan to discuss broader cooperation in the sewerage sector.

The meetings were attended by senior officials, including Secretary of Local Government Division Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, Managing Director of Dhaka WASA Taqsem A Khan, and Director for Urban Development and Water Division of ADB’s South Asia Department Norio Saito.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Dhaka WASA and Bureau of Sewerage, Tokyo Metropolitan Government to start a one-year cooperation programme under Water Organizations Partnership for Resilience.

According to the document, 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, and 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 Bureau of Sewerage, Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

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

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 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.