In the light of Vision 2021, the capital city will be under the purview of DMA, which is defined as a discrete area of a water distribution network. It is usually created by closing boundary valves so that it remains flexible to changing demands.
A DMA can also be created by permanently disconnecting pipes to neighbouring areas. Water flowing in and out of the DMA is metered and flows are periodically analysed to monitor the level of leakage.
DMAs can basically be categorised into three different types – single inlet DMAs, multiple inlet DMAs and cascading DMAs.
According to the document, Bangladesh is the first country in the South Asia to introduce DMA by changing old pipelines.
About half the work has been done with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), it says, adding that the rest of the work is on.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in 2016 approved the ‘Dhaka Water Supply Network Development’ project involving an estimated cost of Tk 3,182.3 crore to enhance the capacity of Dhaka Wasa.
Dhaka Wasa, under the Local Government Division, is implementing the water supply network development project by December 2021.
Out of the estimated project cost, the government is providing Tk 1037.3 crore. The rest will come as project assistance from the ADB.
Wasa officials said the misuse of water has come down significantly.
The illegal connections have been legalised, resulting in economical use of power at national level and reducing the epidemic of various waterborne diseases.
The project also aims to bring all the citizens, including low-income people and slum-dwellers, under legal water-supply connections and ensure the basic rights of those living in the metropolis area.