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822 BD98

NATIOI I

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GOVERNMENTOF THE PEOPLE’SREPUBLICOF BANGLADESH

NATIONALPOLICY FOR

SAFE WATER SUPPLY & SANITATION 1998

LIBRARY IRCP0 Box 93190, 2509 AD THE HAGUE

Tel.: ÷3170 30 689 80Fax: +31 7035 89964

BARCODE: ~LO:

LOCAL GOVERNMENT DIVISIONMINISTRY OF L.G lID AN]) CO-OPERATIVES

Purpose

Safewaterand sanitationareessentialfor the developmentof publichealth.TheGovernment’sgoal is to ensurethat all peoplehaveaccessto safewaterand sanitationservicesat an affordablecost. To achievethis goal andto ensure that developmentin the water supply and sanitationsector isequitableand sustainable,formulation of National Policy for Safe WaterSupplyandSanitationis essential.

Background

TheGovernmentstartedits initial interventionin thewatersupplyandsanitationsectorwith theobjectiveof graduallybuilding aneffectiveservicedeliverymechanismabout62 yearsago.After independence,theGovernmentlaid emphasison rehabilitation of damagedwater supply and sanitationservicesandinstallationof newfacilitiesin rural andurbanareasthroughtheDepartmentof Public HealthEngineering(DPHE). Serviceswereprovidedmostly free ofcharge.Therole ofthe usersin decision-making,costsharingand operationsandmaintenancewasnegligible. However,subsequentlyuserparticipationincreasedsignificantly. Rural communitiesarenow responsiblefor operationandmaintenanceof hand-pumptube-wellsand receivetrainingfor thepurpose.Theresponsibilityfor installation,operationandmaintenanceof urbanwatersupply (exceptingDhaka,Narayangongand Chittagong)wasinitially with DPHE only but now it is sharedwith thePaurasabhas.Recentproject-basedactivities in thePaurasabhasandtheirinvolvementin planning,implementationandmanagementhavehadapositive impacton improvementof Paurasabhacapacity.Most of the Paurasabhasand the Union Parishadsnow haveWater Supply andSanitationCommittees(WATSAN) comprisingthe usercommunitiesfor supervisingwater and sanitationrelatedactivities.In addition to DPHE, the Local GovermnentEngineering Department(LGED) is also involved in planning and implementationof water andsanitationservicesin certain Paurasabhasand growth centersidentified bythePlanningCommissionunderselectedprojects.In 1983 WaterSupply andSewerageAuthorities (WASA) were establishedin Dhaka and Chittagongcities. The responsibilityof water supply, sewerageand drainagein Dhakacity and water supply in Chittagong city now rests with the respectiveWASAs. In the year 1990 Narayanganj town was brought under thejurisdiction of DhakaWASA. In Dhakacity water supply coverageis only65% and sanitationcoverageis around72%,ofwhich 30%maybe assignedto waterborne sewerage.But the averagecoverageconcealsthe intra- andinter-regionaldisparities.Theratiooftube-well to personsis around70 in the

shallowwatertablearea; and200 and 300 in thecoastalandlow watertableareas respectively. Pollution of surface water is increasing becauseofimperfect water managementand environmental pollution. The recentdetectionofarsenicin groundwateris an issueofgraveconcern.To preserveenvironmentalquality and to mitigate arseniccontaminationresearchandfield surveysarebeingcarriedout.

The governmentis encouragingand supportingthe involvement ofother partners, such as non-governmentalorganizations(NGOs) market-orientedbusinessorganizationsandsimilarprivateorganizationsin waterandsanitationdevelopment.This combined promotional campaign for betterhealth and hygiene has increasedthe demandfor tube-wells and sanitarylatrines. Due to increaseof private sector its capacity for production,installation and maintenanceof tube-wells and sanitary latrines has alsoincreased.Materials for installingtube-wellsand sparesfor maintenanceareproduced by private manufacturersand are available in the market inabundance.The materialswhich were imported before are now mostlymanufacturedin the country. A number~of NGOs have devised andimplementedinnovativeandeffectiveapproachesfor servicedelivery.

2. Overview

The gradualsuccessmadeby Bangladeshin the provision of basicwatersupplyservicesto its ruralpopulationhasearnedplaudits.In termsofaservicelevel definedaspercentageofpopulationliving within 150 metersofa tube-well,thepresentrural watçrsupplycoverageis over90%andtheruralsanitationcoverag&is 16%, thoughit increasesto 42%when ‘home-made2’latrinesareconsidered.Theurbanwatersupply3 andsanitationcoveragesareboth around50%.

1. Rural and urbansanitationcoverageis presentlydefinedasonesanitaryIatnneperhousehold.2 Home-madelatrinesaredefinedaspit latrineswithoutwatersealpansandwithout pit linings3. UrbanWatersupplycoverageis presentlydefinedas onehouseconnectionperhouseholdor one

streethydrantper 100 people.

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Although theachievementis significantin the contextof SouthAsia,it is recognizedthat the goalof total improvementin generalhealthandwellbeinghasonly beenpartially achieved.Incidencesofmorbidity andmortalityfrom water-bornediseasesare still high and achievementin behavioralchangesin sanitationleavesmuchto be desired.Inequitiesin accessto waterand sanitationservicespersist.Urbanareasarebetterservedcomparedto therural areasand in the rural areasthepoorenjoy fewer facilities comparedtotherich. On theotherhand,thefacilities providedarenot usedoptimally andservicesustainability remainsto be improved. Consequently,developmentactivities axehamperedandefforts to improvepublic healthhavehad limitedeffect. However,manydevelopmentprojectshaveattemptedto redresstheseinadequaciesbut these adopt divergent approachesand the benefits arelimited only withinprojectboundaries.

It is globally recognizedthat physicalprovision of servicesalone isnot a sufficientpre-conditionfor sustainabilityor improvementof healthandwell beingof thepeople.Greaterattentionneedsto belocusedon elementsofbehavioralchangesof usersand sustainability throughuserparticipation inplanning, implementation,managementand cost sharing. The need forchangewithin the conventionalprogramsarerecognizedby the governmentand all the stakeholdersin the sector.The aim to bring about the changescalls for transition from - traditional service delivery arrangement.Institutionalizationof strategicpartnershipprocessbetweenthe centralandlocal governmentin coordinationwith otherorganizationswithin the civilsociety is one way of bringing about this change.This will result in theintroductionof a servicedelivery processwhosefocalpoint will be theusercommunities.The change~iil1 necessitatethe adoption~of new institutionalandfinancial arrangements.Theknowledgeand ideaacquiredfrom this newapproachand experiencecouldbe reflectedin a comprehensivepolicy. Thegovernmentrecognizesthe urgentneedof a comprehensivenational waterand sanitationpolicy which would reflect its commitment to pursuing asustainable strategy and incorporate the initiatives based on recentexperiences.The national policy shall provide a long term framework foradoptionandimplementationofactionplansofthe government.

In the policy, awareness•of the longer-term perspectiveis alsoimportant. In this perspective,it will be easierto take appropriateactionswithin theregularprogrammeundernormalcircumstances.At thesametime,it will be helpful In facing emergencysituations.The National Policy will

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encompassa vision for the future in the light of which programmescanbeundertakenin asystematicmanner.

Considering the above the National Drinking Water Supply andSanitationPolicy hasbeenformulatedwith theobjectiveof makingwaterandsanitationservicesaccessibleto all within theshortestpossibletime atapriceaffordableto all. Pastexperienceswerereviewedto emphasizethepositiveaspectswhile formulatingthepolicy.

3. ObjectivesThe objectivesof the ‘National Policy for Safe Water Supply and

Sanitation’ are to improve the standardof public health and to ensureimprovedenvironment.For achievingtheseobjectives,stepswill be takenfor:a) facilitating accessofall citizensto basiclevel of servicesin water supply

andsanitation;b) bringingaboutbehavioralchangesregardinguseofwaterandsanitation;c) reducingincidenceofwaterbornediseases;d) building capacityin local governmentsand communitiesto deal more

effectivelywith problemsrelatingto watersupplyandsanitation;e) promotingsustainablewaterandsanitationservices;f) ensuring proper storage,managementand use of surface water and

preventingits contamination;g) takingnecessarymeasuresfor storageanduseofrainwater;h) ensuringstorm-waterdrainagein urbanareas.

Within the overall objectivesthe following specific goals will betargetedfor achievementin phasesin thenearfuture:i. Increasingthe presentcoverageof safedrinking water in rural areasby

loweringtheaveragenumberof usersper tube-well from thepresent105to 50 in thenearfuture.

ii. Ensuringtheinstallationof one sanitarylatrine in eachhouseholdin therural areasand improvingpublic healthstandardthroughinculcating thehabitofproperuseofsanitarylatrines.

iii. Making safe drinking water available to eachhouseholdin the urbanareas.

iv. Ensuringsanitarylatrine within easyaccessof everyurban householdthrough technology options ranging from pit latrines to water bornesewerage. =

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v. Installing public latrines in schools, bus stations and important publicplacesand community latrines in denselypopulatedpoor communitieswithout sufficient spacefor individualhouseholdlatrines.

vi. Ensuringsupplyof qualitywaterthroughobservanceofacceptedqualitystandards.

vii. Removalof arsenicfrom drinking waterandsupplyof arsenicfreewaterfrom alternatesourcesin arsenicaffectedareas.

viii. Taking measuresin urbanareasfor removal of solid and liquid wasteand their use in various purposes.Ensuring the useof waste for theproductionoforganicfertilizer (compost)in therural areas.

4. Strategy

The strategyof the National Drinking Water Supply and SanitationPolicy will be developedon thefollowing principles:a) All sector developmentactivities shall be planned, coordinatedand

monitoredon thebasisof a sectordevelopmentframeworkwhich will bepreparedaftertheformulationofthePolicy;

b) Participation of users in planning, development, operation andmaintenance through local government and community basedorganizationsof thestakeholders;

c) Developmentofwatersupply and sanitationsectorthroughlocal bodies,public-privatesector,NGOs, CBOs and womengroups involving localwomenparticularly electedmembers(of the local bodiesin the sectordevelopmentactivities),;

d) Gradual community cost-sharingand introduction of economicpricingfor services;

e) Assigningpriority to under-servedandun-servedareas;1) Adoptionof watersupply and sanitationtechnologyoptions appropriate

to specificregions,geologicalsituationsandsocialgroups;g) Local Governmentinstitutions/Paurasabhasto bearincreasingshareof

capitalcost;h) Improvementof the existing technologiesand conductof continuous

researchanddevelopmentactivitiesto developnewtechnologies;i) Close linkages between research organizations and extension

agents/implementingagencies;j) Social mobilization through publicity campaign and motivational

activities using massmedia among other meansto ensurebehavioraldevelopmentandchangein sanitationandhygiene;

k) Capacitybuilding at the locallcornmunitylevel to deal effectively withlocal waterandsanitationproblems;

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I) Mobilization ofresourcesfrom users,GOB anddevelopmentpartnersforimplementationof activities of the sectorin a coordinatedmannerbasedon targetedplanof action;

m) Providing credit facilities for the poor to bear costs of water andsanitationservice;

n) Regularqualitativeandquantitativemonitoring andevaluationto reviewprogressofactivities andrevisionofthestrategybasedon experiences;

o) Whereverfeasiblesafe waterfrom surfacewatersourcesshall be givenprecedenceover othersources;and

p) With a view to controlling and preventing contaminationof drinkingwater, regularandcoordinatedwaterquality surveillanceby DepartmentofPublicHealthEngineering(DPHE),NationalInstitutefor Preventive&Social Medicine (NIPSOM), Atomic Energy Commission andDepartmentof Environment(DOE) and random testing of quality ofdrinking water(includingbottledwater)by DPHE, BangladeshStandardTesting Institute (BSTI) and DOE to determine the level ofcontamination;

q) Adoption of necessarymeasuresin urbanareasto preventcontaminationof groundand surfacewaterby solidand liquid wastes.

5. Definitioni. Safewater supplymeanswithdrawalor abstractionof either groundor

surface water as well as harvesting of rain-water; its subsequenttreatment,storage,transmissionanddistributionfor domesticuse.

ii. Sanitationmeanshumanexcretaandsludgedisposal,drainageandsolidwastemanagement.

iii. Sectorme~änsthesafewatersupplyandsanitationsector.

6. Scope

This policy shallcoverthegeographicalareacomprisingBangladesh.

7. Policy Principles

Basedon local andinternationalexperiences,thefollowing principleshavebeenadoptedasthebasisfor policy formulation:Basic needs- It is necessaryto expandand improvethe water supply ~ndsanitationservicesin orderto satisfythebasicneedsofthepeople.Theneedto expandthesefacilities is greaterin thecaseofunderprivilegedgroupsandregions.

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The value of water - Water has an organic, social and concurrently aneconomicvalue.To ensurethat serviceprovisionis viable, thepriceofwatershouldreflect its economicvalue,with theeventualobjectiveof coveringthecostof supply.However,the transitionfrom thecurrentlevel of subscriptionto new rateofpaymentshouldbegradualand thereshouldbe a safetynet forhard-corepoorcommunities.Participationof users - Usersareat thecenterof all developmentactivities.Effective useof resourcesand the provision of appropriateservicelevel isfacilitatedby userparticipationatvariousstagesof planning,implementation,operationandmaintenance.Role of Women - Sincewomenplay a crucial role in watermanagementandhygieneeducationat the householdlevel, recognitionof women’srole willcontributeto theoverall developmentofthesector.Technology Options - Promotion of various technology options will besustainablefor bothwatersupply andsanitationkeepingtheneedsof specificareasandsocio-economicgroupsof people.Investment- Investmentin the sectorshould focuson facilitatingwater andsanitationservices,leadingto improvementofpublic health,well beingof thepeopleandeconomicdevelopment.It is importantto addresstheweaknesseson a priority basiswith emphasison maintaining the operationof existingservices.At thesametime furthercoverage,speciallyto the under-privilegedsectionsof the community, is necessary.Investmentprojectsin this sectorwill be successfulif thesetakeinto considerationtheabove-mentionedissue.The formulationand revisionof the projectwill also be easierif the projectincorporatesthelessonslearnedandusesthefeedbackfrom thefield.Integrated development- Isolatedinitiatives for developmentof water andsanitationservicesgenerallyleadto wasteof resources.To ensurebestuseoflimited resourcesfor effectivedevelopment,coordinationis necessaryamongall tiersof thegovernment,local governmentbodies,NGOs andotherrelatedpartiesincludingprivatesector.Capacity building - The capacityof thesectorshouldbe expandedin orderto improveand broadenthe reachof servicesit provides.This will requireactions related to human resource development, implementation ofappropriateinstitutional arrangements,active involvement of usergroups,and new roles for the government, local governmentbodies, NGOs andprivate organizations.Decentralizationof decisionmaking, training at thelocal level andlocal initiatives for resourceplanningareessentialfor success.Privatesector- Manyfunctionsofthewatersupplyand sanitationsectorcanbe undertakenby private organizations.This will promoteincreasedservicecoverageand therebylessentheburdenon thegovernment.It is necessaryto

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strengthenan administrativelyand financially enablingenvironmentfor theprivate sector to participate and contribute to sectoi~development.Involvementoftheprivatesectoris essentialto establisha closerrelationshipbetweenthequality ofservicesofthesectorandits financialviability.Environmental integrity - It is desirablethat all developmentactivitiesrelated to water supply and sanitation are consideredwithin broaderenvironmentalconsiderations.Emergencyresponses- All governmentandnon-governmentbodiesshouldbepreparedto takenecessarymeasuresfor immediateresponsebeforeandafternaturaldisaster.Involvementofall otherstakeholdersis alsonecessary.Holistic approach - Drinking watersupplyand sanitationis asub-sectorandas such should be coordinatedinto the overall National Health Policy,NationalWaterPolicy,NationalEducationPolicy and NationalEnvironmentPolicy.

8. Policies

In general,the urban and rural water supply and sanitationissuesappearsimilar, but they do differ in institutional aspects,and in contentandmagnitude. As such, policies for rural and urban areas are presentedseparately.

8.1 Rural Water Supply

8.1.1. Communitiesshallbe the focusfor all watersupplyactivities; all otherstakeholdersincluding the private sector and NGOs shall providecoordinatedinputs into the developmentof the sectorwith DPHE astheleadagency.

8.1.2. Local governmentbodiesin village, union andthanalevel shallhaveadirectrole in planning, implementationandmaintenanceofrural watersupply and the activities ofpublic andprivate sectoragencieswill becoordinatedaccordingly.

8.1.3. As wateris increasinglyconsideredto be an economicgoodaswell asa socialgood, watersupply servicesshall beprovidedbasedon userdemandand cost-sharing.In the near future concernedcommunitiesshall shareat leastthe following portionsof costs: (a) 50% for handtubewells in shallowwatertableareas,(b) 25%for handtubewells inlow water table areas,(c) 20% for deephandtube wells and othertechnologiesfor difficult areas.

8.1.4. User communitiesshall be responsiblefor operationandmaintenanceofwatersupply facilities andshall bearits total costs.

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8.1.5. Womenshall be encouragedand supportedto activelyparticipateindecisionmakingduringplanning,operationsandmaintenance.

8.1.6. Therural watersupplyprogramshall supportand promotea rangeoftechnology options. Technological packagesand specifications forhardware and service levels shall be formulated on the basis ofexperience,needs and results of researchand development.Theexperiencesgainedin this regardby DPHE, Private Sector,NGOs,CBOswill be sharedfor appropriateprogrammedevelopment.

8.1.7. During natural disaster,necessarymeasuresshall be taken on anemergencybasisso that peoplehave accessto safewater and do nothaveto drink contaminatedwater. Necessarymeasuresshall also betaken to prevent contaminationand damageof tube wells duringnaturaldisaster.DPIIE shall storeenoughmaterialsandsparesto takeimmediateaction for repairingor installingtubewells in collaborationwith local bodies,NGOs and CBOs. While the tube wells installedimmediately after natural disasterwill be free of cost, a part ofrehabilitationoftubewells will bechargedaccordingto the ageofthetubewell damagedordestroyed.

8.1.8. The capacityfor qualitative and quantitativemonitoring, analysis ofinformation and policy implementationof the Local GovernmentDivision will be improved.

8.1.9. Alongsidetheprogramfor distribution of hardware,emphasiswill begiven on publicity campaignandsocialmobilizationthroughtrainingofvolunteersat village level for useofsafewaterfor all purposesandwaterconservation.

8.1.10.Prioritywill beassignedto water supply in difficult and under-servedareas.

8.1.11.In eachand every village of Bangladeshat least one pond will beexcavatedlre-excavatedand preservedfor drinking water. Necessarysecuritymeasureswill be undertakento preventwaterofthepondfromcontamination.

8.2Rural Sanitation

8.2.1. Local governmentand communitiesshallbe the focusof all activitiesrelating to sanitation. All other stakeholdersincluding the privatesector and NGOs shall provide inputs into the developmentof thesectorwithin the purview of overall governmentpolicy with DPHEensuringcoordination.

8.2.2. The users shall be responsiblefor operation and maintenanceofsanitationfacilitiesandwill bearits total cost.

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8.2.3. Measureswill be taken so that users can bear increasedcost ofsanitationservices.However, in caseof hard corepoor conimunities,educationalinstitutions, mosquesand other placesof worship, thecostsmay be subsidizedpartially or fully. In public toilets separateprovisionshallbemadefor womenusers.

8.2.4. Behavioral developmentand changesin user communitiesshall bebrought about through socialmobilization and hygieneeducationincoordinationwith theMinistries of Health,Education,SocialWelfare,Information, Women & Children Affairs and DPHE, NGOs, CBOs,local governmentbodiesandotherrelatedagencies.

8.2.5. Womenshall be encouragedand supportedto actively participateindecision making during planning, implementation, operation andmaintenance.

8.2.6. Therural sanitationprogrammeshall supportandpromotea rangeoftechnology options for water and environmental sanitation.Technologicalpackagesand specificationsfor hardwareand servicelevels shall be formulated.The experiencesgainedin this regardbyDPHE, NGOs, CBOs will be shared for sustainable programdevelopment.

8.2.7. Use of organic waste material for compost and bio-gas will bepromotedandcontaminationof waterby various wastematerialswillbe discouraged.

8.2.8. Within a specifiedperioda legislation will be enactedmaking useofsanitarylatrinecompulsory.

8.3 Urban Water Supply

8.3.1. In order to makethewatersupply systemsustainablewater would besuppliedat cost. However,educationaland religious institutionswillbeprovidedwith waterasper existinggovernmentrules.

8.3.2. In the nearfuture watertariff shall be determinedon the basis of thecost of waterproduction,operation and maintenance,administrationanddepreciation.

8.3.3. WaterSupply, SewerageAuthorities (WASA5) shallbe responsibleforsustainablewater supply in the metropolitan areaswhere WASAsexist. Whereasin otherurbanareasthe Paurasabhaswith the help ofDPHEshallberesponsiblefor theservice.

8.3.4. WASAs and the Paurasabhasshall be empoweredto set tariffs, by-laws, appointment of staffs, etc. according to their needs and inaccordancewith the guidelinelaid downby thegovernment.

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8.3.5. WASAsandthePaurasabhasshallimprovetheiroperationalefficiencyincluding financial management.In the near future billing andcollectiontargetswill be 90% and80%respectively.PaurasabhasandWASAs will takeactionsto presentthewastageof water. In additiontheywill takenecessarystepsto increasepublic awarenessto preventmisuseofwater.Paurasabhaswill takeappropriatemeasuresto reduceunaccountedfor water from 50% to 30%. Dhaka WASA andChittagongWASA will also lower their unaccountedfor water fromthepresentlevel.

8.3.6. Tn order to promote operational efficiencies the government’sdevelopmentgrant to the Paurasabhasshall take into accountthefollowing:a) watersupplycoveragein termsof areaandpopulation;b) amountofun-accountedfor water;c) increasein revenueincome.

8.3.7. The role of women in planning, decisionmaking and managementshall be promoted through ensuring increased representationinmanagementcommittees/boards(PaurasabhalWASA).

8.3.8. Privatesectorparticipationwill bepromotedthroughBOO/BOTandotherarrangements.For this purposeopportunitieswill becreatedforinvolving theprivate sectorin billing andcollection. A guideline onprivate sectorparticipation in the sector will be preparedby thegovernment.

8.3.9. During natural disasterWASAs and relevant agenciesshall takeappropriatemeasuresfor providing safe drinking water. This willincluderepairingandcleaningofpipelines,productionwell and otherinstallations, emergencysupply through water trucks and othernecessarymeasures.Thegovernmentwill reimbursethe costofwatersuppliedfreeofchargeby thePaurasabhas,WASAs and otherrelatedagenciesduringemergencysituations.

8.3.10.Monitoringof waterquality for thepurposeofensuringan acceptablestandardwill be the responsibilityof DPHE, DOE, BSTI, AtomicEnergyCommission(AEC) andCBOs andtheywill sendtheirreportto the water quality control committee in the Local GovernmentDivision.

8.3.11. WASAs and relevant agencies shall support and promote anycollective initiative in slums andsquattersin accessingwater supplyserviceson payment.

8.3.12.WASAs, DPHE, BUIET and AEC shall conduct research anddevelopment activities for the development of appropriate

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technologies and other developmentswith special emphasis ondifficult and under-servedareas. They shall share the results ofresearchanddevelopmentandprovidetechnicalsupportto theprivatesector.

8.3.13.Efforts shallbemadeto upgradethecapacityofthePaurasabhasandWASAs for planning, designing, implementation,managementandhumanresourcedevelopmentand the DPHE shall haveappropriateinstitutional linkages for this purpose. For future planning andstrategy formulation regarding development projects LocalGovernmentDivision’s Monitoring, Evaluation& InspectionWingshallmonitor theactivitiesofthesector.

8.3.14. In consultation with relevant government and non-governmentorganizationsDPHE,WASA andBUET will formulatean appropriatetrainingprogramand impartthesamein a decentralizedmanner.

8.3.15.The capacityof the Monitoring, Evaluationand InspectionWing ofLocal Government Division for qualitative and quantitativemonitoring, analysis of information, policy implementation,evaluationandrevisionshallbe increased.

8.3.16.NGOs will play appropriate role in undertaking motivationalactivities.

8.4 Urban Sanitation

8.4.1. The sanitation system shall have to be self-sufficient and self-sustaining. Sanitary latrine in every householdwill be promoted.Along with individual sanitation,public and communitylatrineswillbe set-up by City Corporation/Pourasabhaand leasedout to privatesectorfor maintenance.

8.4.2. The City Corporationsor Paurasabhasshall be responsiblefor solidwastecollection, disposaland theirmanagement.Theseorganizationsmaytransfer,wherefeasible,the responsibilityof collection, removaland managementof solid wasteto theprivate sector.WhereWASAsexists,theyshallbe responsiblefor sewerageandstorm waterdrainagesystems.

8.4.3. The City Corporationsand Paurasabhasshall be empoweredto settariffs,by-laws,appointmentofstaffs,etc. accordingto theirneedsandin accordancewith theguidelineslaid downby the government.

8.4.4. The role of women in the processof planning,decisionmaking andmanagementshallbepromotedthroughtheir increasedrepresentationin managementcommittees/boards(PaurasabhaJV~TASA).

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8.4.5. Drainagesystemin thecities andmunicipalitieswill be integratedwiththeoverall drainagesystemwith thecoordinationof Ministry ofWaterResources.

8.4.6.PrivatesectorandNGOparticipationin sanitationwill be encouraged.8.4.7. Behavioral developmentand changesin usercommunities shall be

brought about through socialmobilization and hygieneeducationinalliance with the Ministries of Health, Education, Social Welfare,Information, Women & Children Affairs, DPHE, NGOs,CBOs, localgovernmentbodiesand otherrelatedagencies.

8.4.8. In consultation with relevant government and non-governmentorganizationsDPHE, WASA and BUET will formulatean appropriatetrainingprogramandimpart thesamein adecentralizedmaimer.

8.4.9. Department of Environment will be consulted on solid wastemanagement.

8.4.10.Measureswill be taken to recycle, as much as possible, wastematerialsand to preventcontaminationof groundwaterby sewerageanddrainage.

9. Institutional arrangement

As regards water supply and sanitation sub-sector the LocalGovernmentDivision will be responsiblefor overall planning, identificationof investmentprojectsandcoordinationofactivitiesofagenciesunderit (viz.DPHE, LGED, WASA5) and localgovernmentbodies,private sector,NGOsand CBOs (community Based Organizations).But each of the relevantorganizations/institutionswill be responsiblefor its own activities. Tocoordinate,monitor andevaluatethe activities ofthesectorandto determinefuture work programmeLocal GovernmentDivision will constitutea forumwith representativesfrom relevantorganizations.

ExceptDhakaandChittagongcity areasDPHE will beresponsibleforthewatersupplyandsanitationofthewholecountry. In otherurbanareastheDepartmentof Public Health Engineeringwill solely or jointly with thePaurasabhabe responsiblefor suchservices.In urbanareasDPHE will beresponsiblefor assistingthePaurasabhasandCity Corporations(exceptin thecities of Dhaka and Chittagong) through infrastructuresdevelopmentandtechnicalassistanceas maybe necessary.Besides,both in rural and urbanareas,DPHE will increasinglycollaboratewith private sector,NGOs andCBOs.

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Inparticularforeignaidedprojectswhereit is specificallyrequiredasa componentof overall infrastructurepackage,LGED mayundertakewatersupply and sanitationrelatedactivities. In suchproject-basedcasesLGEDshall assist the concernedPaurasabhain the implementationand providetechnicalassistance.

RelevantWASAs will be responsiblefor water supplyandsanitationin DhakaandChittagongcity areas.Involvementoftheprivatesectorin theseactivitieswill beexploredandexamined.

Local Governmentbodies like Zilla Parisahad,Upazila Parishad,Union Parishadand Gram Parishadwill be graduallyprovided with morescopeto contributein the activitiesof thissubsector.

Congenialatmospherewill becreatedandnecessarysupportprovidedto facilitate increasedparticipationof theprivate sector,NGOs andCBOs intheactivitiesofthesectorboth in rural andurbanareas.

Private sector and NGO investment will be encouraged inmanufacturing,saleanddistributionof differenttypesof tubewells, sanitarylatrinesetc. Theywill also be encouragedto participatein the installationofpipedwatersupply systemwherefeasible.

All relevantorganizationswill give emphasison the reduction ofdependenceon groundwater andincreaseduseof surfacewater.They willensurestorage,managementanduseofsurfacewater.

10.Policy implementation

Drinking water supply and sanitation is a sub sector within thebroadersectorof health, environmentand water and as such the NationalPolicy in this subsectorshallbemadeconsistentwith thenationalpolicy forhealth,environmentandwater.

Future investmentprojectsin the public sectorshallbe madewithinthe frameworkof this policy asfar aspracticable.Endeavourswill be madeto coordinatethe activities of privatesectorand NGOs throughthe Policy.Projectsor activities undertakenat the level ofthe individual, communityororganizationwill be coordinatedby the Local GovernmentDivision withintheframeworkof thePolicy.

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Strategieswill be formulated in the light of the Policy at variouslevelsin consultationwith theMinistry of Planning.WARPOunderMinistryof Water Researchwill also have a role in formulating and implementingstrategy.A comprehensivestrategicplan of operationsshall be preparedandinvestmentprojectsidentified. The processshall be participatory and mayinvolve dialoguewith all stakeholdersincluding developmentpartners.Toenhanceavailable knowledgeand to fill information gapsfocused studiesshall be undertakenwith a view to improving decisionmaking. The policyplanning, coordination and monitoring of the sectoractivities will be theresponsibility of Local Government Division. The Local GovernmentDivision will haveinteractionwith the PhysicalInfrastructuresDivision ofthePlanningCommissionfor thepurposeof:• Reviewingon-goingactivities;• Planningprogrammesin thewatersupplyand sanitationsectorfor theon-

going Five YearPlan(1997-2002)andthenextFive YearPlanperiod;• Formulating guideline for allocation of specific activities for the

implementing agencies within the public and private sector (CityCorporations,Paurasabhas,DPHE, WASAs, LGED, NGOs, etc.) withcostestimation.

Specific activities like monitoring progressof on-going activities,strategicplanningand programformulation,etc. and their allocationamongdifferentagencies(public sector,privatesector,NGOs,CBOs,etc.)will beasinitially discussedin paragraph9 above.

The LocalGovernmentDivision will liaise andnegotiatewith donors(bilateral, multilateral, etc.) through ERD for commitmentof resourcesforthe Sectoral Program. Local government institutions and privateorganizations will also mobilize resourcesat the local level throughmotivational activities. The Local GovernmentDivision will prepareHalfYearly Report on the activities of the sectorand submit to the concernedauthorities.

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PRINTED BY. BACE PRINTERS, DI-IAKA, BANGLADESH