A water treatment plant set up near the Patenga silo jetty was  inaugurated yesterday to purify 3 million gallons daily from the  Karnaphuli river and meet shortages at 148 factories in Chattogram  Export Processing Zone (CEPZ). 

"From the beginning of the  establishment of Chattogram EPZ, there was a shortage of drinking water  in this region," said Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority  (Bepza) Chairman Maj Gen AKM Ziaur Rahman on opening the facility.

"This problem was worsening day by day," he said.

Despite  having a demand of 8 million gallons per day, very little was available  from Chattogram Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa), he said.

For  this, factories were allowed to set up deep tube wells despite it being  known that those were harming the environment, said the Bepza chairman.

The  CEPZ officials explained that Chattogram Wasa provides 2,00,000  gallons, 112 deep tube wells 3 million gallons and Karnaphuli EPZ  28,00,000 gallons.

Rahman expressed hope that the new plant would solve all problems once operational.

A water treatment plant set up near the Patenga silo jetty in Chattogram, having a capacity to purify three million gallons of water of the Karnaphuli river daily. Constructed by Dhaka-based Sigma Group, the facility was inaugurated yesterday to meet a shortage of water at 148 factories in Chattogram Export Processing Zone.Photo: Md Nazrul Islam

"Karnaphuli Water", a company of Dhaka-based Sigma Group, implemented the project.

Surface  water from the Karnaphuli river will be used during low tide to avoid  salinity, Sigma Group General Manager (Project) Engineer Tajul Islam  told The Daily Star.

Syed A Reza, chairman of Sigma Group,  gave a presentation while CEPZ Executive Director Mashiuddin Bin Mejbah  was present among others.