For establishment of Long Term Arrangement (LTA) for Resilient and Inclusive WASH Services Delivery in Host Communities in Cox’s Bazar.

Title

Establishment of Long – Term Agreement (LTA) on Resilient and Inclusive WASH Services Delivery in Host Communities – A Districtwide Approach.

Purpose

Provision of sustainable, resilient and inclusive WASH Services in Cox’s Bazar District.

Location

Coxs Bazar District – with special focus on Ukhiya, Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar Municipality.

Estimated Duration

The LTA will be for three years (36 months) – The initial contract will be signed for one year, and subsequent contracts will be based on the availability of funds.

Reporting to the Technical Supervisor of this assignment

WASH Specialist, WASH Section, UNICEF Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Background

Cox’s Bazar District, which has lower Human Development Index (HDI) indicators compared to the national average, is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall, landslides, flash floods, tidal surges, and cyclones. As a coastal district, it also faces significant saline intrusion. These hazards severely affect vulnerable populations by limiting their access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services; they further degrade the quality and sustainability of WASH facilities, hindering progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 and the realization of the human right to water and sanitation. Furthermore, these conditions increase the prevalence of vector-borne and waterborne diseases, leading to higher morbidity and mortality, particularly among vulnerable children.

The Rohingya refugee crisis has significantly strained basic social services, resources and exacerbated disparities in WASH services among the host population and refugees. Currently, according to MICS 7, only 39.3% of households have access to safely managed water supply services, while 87.1% of households have onsite sanitation facilities without sewerage connection and 72.2% of households have access to basic sanitation services. Furthermore, 68.9% of households have access to basic hygiene services[1].

A 2022 baseline survey highlights major gaps with just 0.3% of the population living in Municipality reached through a piped water network. Fecal sludge management system remains poor, with no Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant for the Bangladeshi population across the district, and 1.1% still practice open defecation[2]. The situation in schools and healthcare facilities is equally concerning. Approximately 80.2% of schools have access to an improved, year-round water source on the premises, while 86.5% have basic drinking water services. Only 57% of schools provide water supply facilities that are accessible to persons with disabilities. Sanitation coverage shows mixed progress. About 61.8% of schools have at least one improved toilet facility located on school premises, and just 34.2% meet national standards (a maximum of 50 students per compartment)[3]. In terms of hygiene, 69.3% of schools have handwashing facilities, but only 44.6% provide group handwashing stations within the premises. Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) shows significant gap with only 18.9% of schools having private spaces for girls and only 12% have emergency MHM materials available[4].

Access to basic WASH services in healthcare facilities (HCFs) remains critically inadequate in Cox’s Bazar. Only 64% of HCFs have water sources available on premises year-round while 28.1% of facilities have at least one improved toilet with provision for menstrual hygiene management (MHM). Only 44.2% of the HCFs have toilets accessible to people with limited mobility. A minimal 6.5% of HCFs meet basic access requirements (usability, dedicated staff toilets, sex-segregated facilities with MHM provisions, and accessibility features)[5].

Objectives, Purpose and Expected Results

This project will contribute to improving water, sanitation, hygiene and wellbeing of vulnerable people in the district, especially children, women, girls, persons with disabilities and ultra-poor households.

Expected Results

Cox’s Bazar host population has equitable access to sufficient quantity and quality water supply for drinking and domestic purposes.

Cox’s Bazar host population has access to basic sanitation and hygiene services.

Strengthen leadership of Local Government Institutions at sub-district, union, and ward levels, demonstrated by streamlined coordination mechanisms, inclusive planning processes, equitable resource allocation, effective functioning of local WASH committees, and enhanced engagement of communities and the private sector for sustainable WASH service delivery.

Description of the Assignment

The contractor/s will be responsible for executing the tasks outlined in the following sections. The description of the scope of work provides a broad overview of the required work, including construction activities. For the renovation and new construction of WASH facilities, detailed tasks, including the site lists, bills of quantities (BoQ’s), drawings, etc. are provided in the annexes to this document.

3.1 Water Supply

3.1.1 Construct climate resilient surface water treatment plants and water distribution networks with production boreholes. The tasks will include community consultation, ESS screening, construction of production boreholes, installation of solar units, distribution pipelines and storage infrastructure, and installation of ATM units to enhance efficient, transparent, and equitable access to water. The initiative will also promote local entrepreneurship by engaging and building the capabilities of local operators for system management, operations, and maintenance. Additionally, community engagement, orientation on system use, and coordination with local authorities will be ensured to support sustainable, inclusive, and resilient water service delivery.

3.1.2 Upgrading and expansion capacity of existing surface water treatment plants and desalination water treatment plants with production borehole. This will include enhancing treatment capacity to increase the production of safe, reliable drinking water, installing additional ATM dispensing units to improve accessibility and efficiency, and strengthening operation and maintenance mechanisms to ensure continuous service delivery. The intervention will also incorporate system automation and monitoring, capacity building of plant operators, and coordination with local authorities and communities to ensure equitable, resilient, and sustainable water supply services for underserved people in water-scarce areas.

3.1.4 Establish ATM based water delivery system across existing shared/water distribution networks. This will involve installing ATM to ensure the sustainability of the systems. The intervention will also include community orientation, capacity building of local operators, and coordination with relevant authorities and community representatives to ensure sustainability, transparency, and inclusive service delivery across all user groups.

3.1.5 Conduct periodic water quality monitoring, including quarterly monitoring and annual water quality testing, using samples collected from water sources and households. Assess sector-specified bacteriological and physio-chemical parameters and ensure that test results and feedback are used to mitigate identified sanitary risks and address gaps in hygiene and behavioral practices.

3.1.6 Implement Water Safety Plans (WSP) to systematically identify, assess, and mitigate risks at all stages of the water supply chain. This initiative aims to reduce public health risks, prevent waterborne diseases, and improve overall water quality among targeted populations.

This will include:

Conducting risk assessments of water sources, collection, transportation, storage, and point-of-use practices.

Strengthening community awareness on safe water handling, including the use of clean containers, covered storage, and regular cleaning practices.

Promoting household-level water treatment options such as boiling, chlorination, or filtration where nec