Safe Water for All: A New Partnership for Growth in Bangladesh

60% of people in Bangladesh do not have access to safe drinking water. Around 35 million people live in coastal districts where drinking water is heavily contaminated and industrial pollution also affects the populations in the industrial areas around Dhaka. As the access to water is controlled and can be expensive, there is an overall high demand for affordable safe water.

The Safe Water for All project, involving a partnership between BRAC and  Grundfos, aims to create a commercially viable business model for cleaning industrial effluent and to ensure safe drinking water in Bangladesh. This dual aim will be achieved through the installation of Water Treatment Plants and Effluent Treatment Plants, both of which will work towards SDG 8 by creating jobs in the water sector.

A water treatment plant has already been installed at BRAC’s regional office in the Bagherat district, to demonstrate the technology’s effectiveness and reliability. This has inspired local uptake of this technology, such as in Dacope Upazila of Khulna, where an entrepreneur has installed a water treatment plant, significantly improving access to safe drinking water for the neighboring population who previously faced severe water scarcity. During April to June 2024, the plant provided 5000 people with 185,000 litres of safe drinking water. The advanced technology of the water treatment plant not only treats most of the raw water but also incorporates recycling methods, enhancing efficiency and increasing water production capacity.