Water & Sanitation Situation in the CHT

and Potentials for using Rainfall

Hasin Jahan

Programme Director, WaterAid Bangladesh

February 24, 2011

About WaterAid . . .

WaterAid is an International Organisation

WaterAid operates in 26 countries with the mission for improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in poor communities

In Bangladesh, we reached over 2 million water, 6 million sanitation and 7 million hygiene beneficiaries till the last year

Area coverage:Rural: 50 upazilas under 20

districts Urban: more than 300 slums in

58 wards under 3 City Corporations [Dhaka, Chittagong & Khulna]

Small Town: 3 Municipalities [Paikgacha, Fulbaria, Shakhipur]

We stepped in the CHT since 1999

Area coverage:Rural: 50 upazilas under 20

districts Urban: more than 300 slums in

58 wards under 3 City Corporations [Dhaka, Chittagong & Khulna]

Small Town: 3 Municipalities [Paikgacha, Fulbaria, Shakhipur]

We stepped in the CHT since 1999

Current level of operation . . .

At a glance: CHT

Hilly terrain

1/10th of total land area

Population: 1.16 million

Hardcore poor: 30%

11 ethnic communities

Vibrant Socio-political environment

Remoteness- depriving from fundamental needs

Sanitation Situation in the CHT

About 75% population use some form of latrine while 25% defecate at open places (ref. CHT Baseline Census by WaterAid, PSU & Unnayan Samannay, 2010)

Of them who are using latrines, only 29% are hygienic

Sanitation facilities:

Mostly pit latrines with/ without lid

Pit latrines with/ without water seal

Water Situation in the CHT

Safe water coverage: 59%

Natural water sources: Springs (jhiris) and Streams (charas)

Average daily consumption: 5-10 litres/person (ref: Counting the Hills, 2007)

Avg. water collection time and distance: 2hr/day; 3 km

Spend about 1/3rd of monthly income for treatment

Water technologies in the CHT

Shallow / Deep-set Hand Tubewell

Ringwell

Infiltration Gallery [IFG]

Gravity Flow System (GFS)

Distribution of households using different water sources (59% hhs having access to safewater)

Challenges in water technologies

High investment costO&M difficulties (requires technical skill and repairing cost)But the most importantly drying up of ‘sources’

Why? Why?

WaterAid commissioned a Study to investigate underlying causes of spring flow deterioration jointly with CEGIS and BCAS in 2007

Image analyses

Climatic and hydro-geological data analyses

Perceptions of local inhabitants and indigenous knowledge

Analyses of climatic data

Decreasing trend in Annual Rainfall (1961-2003)

Increasing trend of Evaporation (1989-92)

Increasing trend of Sunshine hours (1987-2002)

Few key findings…Few key findings…

Few key findings…Few key findings…Analyses of Images of entire CHT (1989-2003)

53% loss of dense forest (170,000 ha)

23% increase of agricultural land and homestead

1989 2003

Khagrachari district

97% loss of dense forest

65% increase of agricultural land

1989 2003

Few key findings…Few key findings…

Causes of Spring flow deterioration

Loss of conducive environment at sources due to deforestation

Due to plantation of exogenous species (like Shegoon, rubber, tobacco etc.) soil becomes exposed and loss of vegetation in the catchment area does not allow to percolate rainwater into the ground to fed the spring during dry season. Landslides are increasing as a consequence.

Change in landuse pattern

Causes of spring flow deterioration

Jhum cultivation cycles becoming too close

Infrastructures constructed without considering of the impacts on overall environment

Major recommendations of the study were:• Social aforestation• Spring management• EIA for infrastructure development • ‘Aquifer Recharge’ for ensuring

drinking water in the long run

Let’s look forward …

A holistic planning and adaptation of water resource management is needed by relevant sector actors A separate Sector Development Plan (SDP) for the CHT is underway; integration of compatible strategies is essential The emerging concern –protection natural springs is essential which requires support from beyond WSS sector and political will

THANKSTHANKS

For further details, please contact For further details, please contact WaterAid BangladeshWaterAid BangladeshH 97/B, Rd 25, Block AH 97/B, Rd 25, Block ABanani, Dhaka 1213Banani, Dhaka 1213Ph: +880.2.881.5757, 881.8521Ph: +880.2.881.5757, 881.8521Email: Email: info@wateraidbd.orginfo@wateraidbd.orgwww.wateraid.org/bangladesh www.wateraid.org/bangladesh