dws-vei-wasa-uddp-dredger-770pxDhaka WASA Drainage (O&M) Circle, has launched the Urban Dredging Demonstration Project (UDDP) as part pf the Water Operators Partnership (WOP) between Dhaka WASA and Vitens Evides International (VEI), Netherlands on June 11, 2014.

The launch is part of a recently started 10 years dredging programme by Dhaka WASA to clean all canals in the capital of Bangladesh. The canals - the primary drainage system of the city - cannot handle the huge volumes of rain water that is generate during the monsoon and every year large part of the city go under water.

dws-vei-wasa-uddp-ceremony-350px-Present at the ceremony were minister Shahjahan of Shipping, senior secretary Monzur Hossain of the Ministery of Local Government (MoLGRDC), Ambassador Gerben de Jong of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and managing director Taqsem A Khan of Dhaka WASA.

Urban dredging technology
Dhaka WASA started two demonstration projects using Dutch urban dredging technologies such as a floating bulldozer, push tugboat, excavator and pontoon.

To make use of the full potential of the Dutch technology and knowledge two different type of drains where chosen: the Kallyanpur canal and the Segunbagicha box culvert .

The UDDP project is strongly focused on improving the operations of Dhaka WASA to be able to continue cleaning other culverts and canals in Dhaka in the coming 10 years.

For this reason UDDP will also introduce smart monitoring systems for operation and maintenance and will help Dhaka WASA in preparing and approving a long term Urban Dredging Maintenance Plan.

dws-vei-wasa-uddp-media-350pxIntensive training
Improving the capacity of Dhaka WASA Drainage Circle is an important part of the project. An intensive training program is designed to train management, work planners, supervisors and operators in preparing, executing and maintaining the dredging activities.

All these activities will make sure that water clogging is reduced and inhabitants and businesses are less effected by the causes of heavy rainfalls.

Pollution prevention
Since the human factor is an important element in polluting storm water drains, UDDP will collaborate with people living near canals to motivate them not to throw their solid waste in the canals.

For the community participation activities, UDDP will work with RIC, a NGO of Bangladesh, to change mindsets and practices of the local communities related to solid waste management and to create a beautification area along the canal or the culvert. The UDDP project will run till September 2016.

Water operator partnership
UDDP is part of the Water Operators Partnership between Dhaka WASA and Vitens Evides International, which is a partnership between the two water operators that are working together to enhance the operational performance of Dhaka WASA in drinking water supply and sanitation.

Financial support for the UDDP is provided by DWASA, VEI and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Bangladesh.

Technical Assistance in the UDDP is provided by VEI, Witteveen+Bos, Tijhuis Ingenieurs, Nelen & Schuurmans, JP Schilder and Unie van Waterschappen from the Netherlands and AquA and DevConsultants Ltd. from Bangladesh.

This news item was originally published on the AKVO RSR project page Urban Dredging Demonstration Project and special Facebook page UDDP-Dhaka WASA.

Also read on this website
● Dutch consortium starts dredging project for maintenance urban drainage in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 17 February 2014

More information
Vitens Evides International
Utrecht, the Netherlands
+31 88 884 7991
www.vitensevidesinternational.com

Dutch embassy Bangladesh
Dhaka, Bangladesh
+880 2 8822 715 18
http://bangladesh.nlembassy.org/

Dhaka WASA
Dhaka, Bangladesh
+880 8117 829 31
http://dwasa.org.bd

The excavator as part of the Urban Dredging Demonstration Project equipment was moved to dredging site. It had to manoeuvre through the small streets of the Kallyanpur area.