CDIA Marks the Start of its Project Preparation Study to Expand Water Supply in Khulna City

June 28, 2023

Urban Development Specialist Brian Capati met with officials of Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (KWASA), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and members of CDIA consulting team from 12 to 18 May 2023 in Khulna City, Bangladesh.  

The series of meetings marked the start of the CDIA-supported Khulna Water Supply Expansion Project Preparation Study (PPS), which aims to address water supply demand in Khulna all-year-round. 

Khulna City is the third largest city in Bangladesh with an estimated population of 1.5 million people in the larger metropolitan area. KWASA is responsible for implementing and operating the water supply and sewerage system of Khulna City. 

In 2019, KWASA completed the Khulna Water Supply Project (KWSP-1) which was co-financed between ADB and Japan International Cooperation Agency. The $323-million investment has provided a sustainable water supply system for 1.1 million residents comprising 74% of the population.  

To date, an additional 400,000 residents remain unserved, necessitating additional investments to meet their needs as well as those of future populations. The CDIA PPS is therefore expected to serve as the basis for the formulation of ADB’s follow-up investment to KWSP-1. 

Additionally, with increased salinity in surface water during dry period, identified as a critical issue affecting the quality and availability of water supply in the city, CDIA will assess the root cause of high salinity and identify solutions that can be taken up by KWASA in the short- and long-term horizons. 

CDIA will further help KWASA improve its services by building their capacity in the digitalization of certain processes including customer billing and accounting, and the management of non-revenue water, among others. It will also prepare an institutional and capacity development road map to help KWASA strengthen the technical and financial management of their water supply system.  

The series of meetings recently held in Khulna City helped level off expectations about the project, discuss key issues, and introduce key stakeholders to each other.  

Data collection and field visits were also undertaken as part of the kickoff activities. All initial findings, assessments and discussions will be further detailed in the PPS’s upcoming inception report. 

Photos: