Access to safe water has begun to reshape daily life in several low-income neighbourhoods of Comilla city, where families once depended on polluted ponds or distant tube wells for their most basic needs.
Until recently, residents of areas such as Dishabandh along Paduar Bazar Road had to walk nearly two kilometres to collect water.
Majeda Begum, a resident of the area, recalled leaving home before dawn each day to fetch water before starting household chores.
“We had to bathe, wash clothes and do everything with dirty pond water. Now I get clean water right next to my home. Life has completely changed,” she said.
Similar changes are visible across multiple low-income communities under Comilla City Corporation, where households are moving away from unsafe surface water sources to continuous access to safe water.
The shift has been driven by a 2024 project titled ‘Resilient Water and Sanitation Programming for Low-Income Communities’, implemented by Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP). The Coca-Cola Foundation funded half a million dollars to support it.
Project data show that before the intervention, only 11 per cent of households received water at fixed times.
That figure has now risen to 77 per cent with round-the-clock access, while overall access to safe water has increased to 52 per cent. Dependence on pond water and private water vendors has declined sharply.
For many families, the cost burden has also eased. Households that once spent between Tk400 and Tk1,000 per month on purchased water are now paying as little as Tk30 for safe water.
In neighbourhoods such as Thirapukurpar, improved access to nearby water points has had a pronounced impact on women and children.
Nurjahan Begum Dolly, a resident and community leader, said girls previously faced harassment while travelling long distances to collect water, forcing many to stop altogether. “Now, with water points nearby, that fear no longer exists,” she said.
Local estimates suggest women are saving one to two hours each day previously spent collecting water. Many are now using the time for income-generating activities or family care.
Health outcomes have also improved markedly.
In project areas, the incidence of waterborne diseases has fallen from 42 per cent to below 2 per cent, reducing medical expenses and improving children’s health.
Teachers report that student absenteeism has declined since schools began receiving safe drinking water.
The initiative extends beyond infrastructure. A total of 216 water points have been installed or rehabilitated in Comilla and Chattogram, benefiting more than 25,000 people.
More than 1,200 local residents, many of them women, have been trained in water management and basic maintenance, enabling communities to operate and care for the facilities themselves.
WSUP Bangladesh Country Manager Uttam Kumar Saha said the impact goes beyond water supply. “These water points are not just sources of water; they are foundations of social change. Women’s safety has improved, and health risks have declined,” he said.
Comilla City Corporation Assistant Engineer Mohammad Yusuf said that while a citywide piped water network remains unfeasible for now, the project offers a practical and sustainable alternative for low-income areas.
Beyond residential neighbourhoods, WSUP and The Coca-Cola Foundation have also supported safe water access in several Comilla city schools, supplying drinking water through reverse osmosis filters.
Uttam Saha said feedback from school headteachers shows that access to clean, iron-free drinking water has reduced parental concerns and lowered student absenteeism.
“By training local residents in every project area, we are ensuring these facilities benefit communities in the long term. We believe the Comilla model can be replicated in other cities across the country,” he said.
From unsafe ponds to nearby safe water points, the changes are quietly transforming daily life in Comilla’s low-income communities, opening new possibilities for health, safety and dignity.
