It has been a year since the Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant (DSTP) was inaugurated and its impacts can already be witnessed. Operating at full capacity since last year, the DSTP has been processing approximately 500 million litres of sewage daily which has resulted in nearby water bodies such as the Balu and Shitalakshya rivers, as well as the Ghazaria Canal adjacent to the refinery, experiencing reduced contamination levels.
According to a Dhaka Tribune story, the DSTP’s successful operation has also resulted in the ecosystem surrounding the area witnessing a sharp rise in biodiversity due to the diminished presence of odors and hazardous materials in the water.
Given the sheer scope and density of Bangladesh’s population, more so in our urban centres, comprehensive and efficient sewage treatment has unfortunately long been a need unfulfilled for us. The consequences of a lack of which can often result in veritable public health disasters at the extreme end. Indeed, waste management itself is not nearly given the attention it deserves, the mishandling of which is one of the biggest reasons behind the sorry state of our water bodies.
Efficient sewage treatment, as seen with the DSTP, has the additional knock-on effect of restoring the ecological glory of many of our water bodies, while the relevant authorities are now exploring whether the approximately 40 tons of ash, produced daily by burning the sludge generated from sewage treatment, can also be used as fertilizer.
This is exactly the sort of long-term sustainable practices that we need moving forward.
According to a Dhaka Tribune story, the DSTP’s successful operation has also resulted in the ecosystem surrounding the area witnessing a sharp rise in biodiversity due to the diminished presence of odors and hazardous materials in the water.
Given the sheer scope and density of Bangladesh’s population, more so in our urban centres, comprehensive and efficient sewage treatment has unfortunately long been a need unfulfilled for us. The consequences of a lack of which can often result in veritable public health disasters at the extreme end. Indeed, waste management itself is not nearly given the attention it deserves, the mishandling of which is one of the biggest reasons behind the sorry state of our water bodies.
Efficient sewage treatment, as seen with the DSTP, has the additional knock-on effect of restoring the ecological glory of many of our water bodies, while the relevant authorities are now exploring whether the approximately 40 tons of ash, produced daily by burning the sludge generated from sewage treatment, can also be used as fertilizer.
This is exactly the sort of long-term sustainable practices that we need moving forward.
