UCD, a solar-driven compact and automated drinking water treatment unit will work to resolve the water problems of the people living in the remote and coastal areas of Bangladesh.
The solution to the long-standing problem was announced at a presentation of UCD at the Danish Embassy in Bangladesh which was held in association with the Danish companies Suez Water A/S and Vand og Teknik on Tuesday in the capital.
In the presentation, the speakers said that local communities, especially those living in remote and rural areas in southwest Bangladesh face challenges in accessing safe drinking water.
They also presented the scenario of such communities as Paschim Khada village of Sharankhola Upazilla of Bagerhat district, a rural and climate-vulnerable area located in one of the most sensitive places regarding access to drinking water.
Based on the local context and needs, Danish companies implemented the UCD, which is designed by Suez and is a compact prefabricated water treatment plant, that can be deployed even in the remotest of locations.
According to the presentation, the plant at Sharankhola has a production capacity of 15 cubic meters per hour and the water is pumped from a rainwater harvesting pond located next to the project site.
The UCD treats surface pond water to provide clean drinking water in compliance with the standards required by Bangladesh and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Before its deployment, the population in this village had no access to safe drinking water, speakers at the presentation added.
The entire plant operates on solar energy supported by a battery system to extend the operation at night time without having to use any fuel.
This drinking water plant has been launched in Bangladesh under a project supported by the Danish government's Export Credit Agency (EKF), the “EKF Green Accelerator” fund.
Through the UCD, products have been successfully installed in many parts of the world, including countries in Africa and Asia, but it is the first time that this technology is implemented in Bangladesh, speakers added.
“As we celebrate 50 years of friendly bilateral relations in 2022, I am delighted to see that concrete impactful actions are being taken to further augment our bilateral relations for the future to come,” said the Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Winnie Estrup Petersen during her speech.
She also commented that this initiative is aligned with Denmark’s triple bottom line approach that prioritizes people, planet and profit.
Per Krøyer Kristensen, managing director of Suez Water A/S, said that the Danish companies Suez and Vand og Teknik are very happy to successfully conclude this full-scale Danish-funded demonstration of safe and sustainable water supply.
“We now invite interested stakeholders to work with us in order to use the proven UCD concept to assist vulnerable communities in Bangladesh,” he added.
