It’s more complex than just clean water.
In Bangladesh, Water1st is working in communities with some of the highest population densities in the world. Disease spreads rapidly in these environments, increasing the importance of a comprehensive solution to water and sanitation challenges.
Our local colleagues, Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK), provide access to clean water and toilets at every home, school, and community gathering place. But we don’t stop there. Trash collection services and wastewater treatment play a big part in maintaining a healthy living environment.
Household wastewater drains directly into rivers flowing through Dhaka, resulting in atrocious conditions. With the support of Water1st, DSK is testing small-scale treatment systems that pipe all wastewater from up to 150 households to a single location where it can be treated and tested before discharging to a river. This simple and inexpensive system, which requires no electricity, has proven to reduce pollutant concentrations by up to 80%.
Public health improvements for the urban poor require a holistic and systematic approach.
Our 14 year partnership with DSK has resulted in over 160,000 people enjoying better health and greater economic security. Their comprehensive solutions to addressing the water and sanitation crisis continue to be the gold standard and we are proud to support their work.
