The Gift of Water, Delivered and Within Reach

In a region where fresh water once meant long walks and endless wait, FCDO-supported solar-powered Surface Water Treatment Plants are changing Teknaf’s access to safe drinking water, bringing hope to the home of every child.

Aqueb Safwan Jaser

TEKNAF, BANGLADESH – In the coastal village of Jaliyapara, Tahamina Akhter gently rocks her one-year-old son, Mohammad Habib, as a 20-litre jar of clean water is delivered to her home. It’s a simple moment, yet it’s a powerful shift from the life she once knew.

“There were days when I had to walk almost a kilometre and wait three to four hours just for one pitcher,” she recalls. “If I couldn’t leave my son, we had to go without water or drink whatever we could find, even if it made us sick.”

Tahamina’s experience reflects the daily struggles faced by thousands in Teknaf, on the far southern edge of Bangladesh. There was a time when families struggled with rising salinity and disappearing groundwater, particularly when they were dependent on shallow tube wells. Eventually, this led to the cost of water becoming unaffordable for many.

A Crisis Beneath Their Feet

Teknaf’s water crisis is complex as well as deep-rooted. Geologically, the region has just a few isolated freshwater aquifers. Even deep wells struggle to provide usable water, as groundwater levels continue to plummet by 3–10 feet each year. Water that was once found at 60-70 feet now requires drilling up to 500 feet in some cases to find fresh water. This is something that is well beyond the reach of most families.

To make matters worse, deeper aquifers are often contaminated with saltwater due to rising sea levels resulting from climate change, creating a mixture of economic and physical water scarcity. Shrimp farming, salt production, and other local practices have worsened saline intrusion, while unpredictable rainfall and frequent cyclones have made freshwater even more difficult to locate.

For children, the impact is more severe. Unsafe drinking water leads to illness, missed school days and poor nutrition. For mothers like Tahamina, it means lost hours, endless worry, and no room to dream beyond daily survival. Drinking salty water also exposes the population to elevated risks of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, particularly amongst vulnerable groups like pregnant women.

Aziza and Kulsuma: Daughters of Determination

Aziza Akhter and Umme Kulsuma, both 15, used to walk nearly a kilometre in the evening to collect water. At such hours, the village roads became still and dark, making it unsafe for them to walk alone. 

From the threat of potential harassment to the hazards of trudging unlit paths and fetching water in the dark, this exposed them to serious protection concerns. During the flood season, the risks were exacerbated. Roads became impassable, and access to safe water was cut off for days.

“We want to make Teknaf greener and help bring safe water to everyone, especially the next generation of children here, so they grow up without the burdens we once carried.”

With no water to cook, their families often survived on puffed rice or more popularly known as muri in Bangla. It’s a non-perishable staple that requires no preparation. The hours spent fetching water also meant they frequently missed study time, falling behind in schoolwork as water collection took priority over learning.

In Bangladesh, after evening, children usually sit down to do their school lessons. But for Aziza and Kulsuma, it was time lost to fetching water for survival.

“The water used to be open and dirty. We had to fight with others in line. Everyone was desperate,” says Kulsuma.

Despite everything, the girls still hold hope. “We want to become NGO workers when we grow up,” Aziza says with quiet conviction. “We want to make Teknaf greener and help bring safe water to everyone, especially the next generation of children here, so they grow up without the burdens we once carried.”

A Turning Point: Surface Water Treatment Plants

Hope, it appears, is already taking root. 

In response to this escalating water crisis, four Surface Water Treatment Plants (SWTPs) have been constructed across Teknaf by UNICEF, with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). These climate-smart systems are reshaping the way communities access safe water.

Each plant processes approximately 2,000 litres of saline surface water every hour, effectively treating dirty surface water and converting it into clean potable water. Each plant produces between 12,000 and 16,000 litres of clean water every day and runs on solar energy. During emergencies, the production capacity can be increased to 24,000 litres per day through a blend of solar energy and grid electricity.

These surface water treatment plants utilize a hybrid system that combines solar energy with grid electricity, ensuring a resilient power supply even during climate-related events. The water source for these plants is nearby surface water bodies, which helps alleviate the pressure on the region’s rapidly depleting groundwater.

Fair Access: Two Ways to Reach Every Household

To ensure inclusive and equitable access to clean water, the project follows a dual water distribution model tailored to meet the needs of different households. 

One method is through Water ATM cards, which are rechargeable smart cards used at nearby booths. Each swipe dispenses 5 litres of water and deducts the cost from the card balance. This ensures convenient and fair distribution while reducing waste.

The second method supports households that are unable to visit the ATM booths, such as families with small children or elderly members. For mothers like Tahamina, who cares for her one-year-old son, Mohammad Habib, doorstep delivery has been nothing but life-changing. Water entrepreneurs use electric vans to deliver 20-litre jars of clean drinking water directly to homes, making sure families like Tahamina’s have safe water for cooking and daily use without having to leave their homes.

Empowering Local Water Entrepreneurs

Kamal Hussein, a trained water entrepreneur, plays an important role in delivering safe drinking water directly to his community.

He coordinates the home delivery of clean water jars using electric vehicles. This service is especially crucial for families in remote or hard-to-reach areas, ensuring no one is left without access to safe water.

“I enjoy this job because I can deliver safe water to people right here in my own community,” says Kamal, valuing his role deeply. In addition to ensuring access to safe water, his work also reinforces the sustainability of the system through a social business model that creates local employment.

Where There Is Water, There Is Hope

For Tahamina, Aziza, and Kulsuma, the transformation is personal.

“Now I can take care of my son without worrying about water,” says Tahamina. “We’re not sick anymore. I’m saving money. I have time to dream.”

And for girls like Aziza and Kulsuma, who once walked in the dark with empty pitchers, there is now water, learning, and endless hope.

Fresh Water, New Beginnings

With over 5,000 to 6,000 people served by each plant, these Surface Water Treatment Plants are a blueprint for addressing climate-induced water insecurity in Bangladesh’s vulnerable coastal belts.

By reducing dependency on groundwater, creating jobs, and ensuring access to safe water, this model reinforces not just resilience but dignity.

UNICEF wishes to express sincere gratitude to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for their continued support and immense contribution to improving access to safe water and enhancing the well-being of children and families in Bangladesh.