Villages adjacent to the Sunderbans have no access to potable/drinking water as surface and ground water of the areas are saline in nature. Villagers living in these areas are at health risk, as rain waters collected in earthen ponds, are the only source of waters for their domestic/household uses.
To make available potable waters in some selected and harsh areas, SABINCO initiated setting up of three water desalination units – one unit each at Kailashgonj and Katakhali union under Dacope Upazilla and the other one at Hodda union under Koira Upazilla, Khulna.
Additionally, amongst the alternative sources of potable water, rainwater harvesting is the most economical solution to mitigate drinking water crisis for the villagers adjoining the Sundberban region. SABINCO also has constructed two rainwater harvesting units in its project at Kailashgonj and Hodda.
Kailashgonj, Dacope Upazilla, Khulna:
- Due to growing demand for potable waters in the area, SABINCO has also established absolutely “Green Rainwater Harvesting Unit” at Kailashgonj, Khulna. Rain water is collected in a specially built tin roofing having catchment area of 1,260 sft. The storage capacity of the unit is 60,000 liters. The water so collected is purified initially by an overhead filter containing sand, gravel, activated carbon etc. and then passed through a UV filter. All the electrical appliances in this unit are powered by solar energy only.
- SABINCO established the first green “Water Desalination Unit run on Reverse Osmosis Process” at Kailashgonj in association with BSRM in December 2015. The unit has a capacity to deliver 2,500 liters of potable water per day. About 250 families living in the nearby Kailashgonj and Ramnagar villages receive water daily from this unit mainly for drinking purpose free of cost.
Hodda, Koira Upazilla, Khulna:
- At Hodda, another “Green Rainwater Harvesting Unit” has been recently completed. In this case, the roof-top of the building has been used as the rainwater catchment area and the water so collected pass through an overhead filter, similar to the one described above, and finally purified water is dispensed free of cost. The storage capacity of this unit is 40,000 liters in underground concrete tank.
- Additionally, a pond at Hodda had been excavated which holds about 3,000 cubic meter of rainwater. Another green “Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit” at Hodda had been completed with a capacity of 6,400 liters per day. This unit is also supplying pure potable water to the villagers, fishermen, honey collectors, tourist and forest activists etc.
Katakhali, Dacope Upazilla, Khulna:
- A 1,000 liter per day capacity green “Reverse Osmosis water desalination unit” has been implemented at Katakhali under Dacope Upazilla. The unit is supplying pure drinking water to the local inhabitants.
