Social Entrepreneur Model Development to Ensure Safe Drinking Water Supply for Low-Income Communities through Water ATM Booths.

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INSTITUTIONAL CONTRACT

Title

Short title: Low Income Community (UC) Water ATM in Korail

Social Entrepreneur Model Development to Ensure Safe Drinking Water Supply for Low-Income Communities through Water ATM Booths

Purpose

Engage a competent agency to install two inclusive Water ATM booths with two dispensers each; install appropriate treatment and digital monitoring systems and establish a self-sustaining

social business model.

Location

Korail Slum, Dhaka, prioritizing Mosharraf Bazar and Jamai Bazar

adjacent to Ershad School playground.

Estimated Duration

15 months, including installation, commissioning, community

mobilization, O&M support and business model development.

Reporting to Technical Supervisor of this assignment

WASH Officer, UNICEF

Background

Bangladesh is experiencing complex water security challenges linked to climate change, rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, pollution and inadequate infrastructure. These pressures are particularly acute in dense informal settlements in Dhaka, where safe and affordable drinking water is constrained by contamination risk, poor drainage, seasonal flooding and limited-service infrastructure.

Korail, located on the banks of Gulshan Lake and recognized as one of Dhaka's largest informal settlements, faces persistent water insecurity. Residents often rely on communal taps, private vendors or unsafe surface water sources. Untreated wastewater discharge and poor drainage further increase contamination risks and expose children, women, persons with disabilities and economically vulnerable households to waterborne health risks.

UNICEF, in collaboration with Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (OWASA), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and relevant stakeholders, proposes to model an inclusive and digitally monitored Low Income Community (LIC) Water ATM model in Korail. The initiative aims to improve equitable access to safe drinking water for children, adolescents, women and other vulnerable groups while generating evidence for scalable service delivery models in underserved urban settlements. The initiative will demonstrate an affordable, climate-resilient and financially sustainable lifeline water service, using DWASA's special tariff for LIC customers, disability-inclusive access, safe water treatment, loT-enabled monitoring, cashless user management and a cross-subsidy social business model.

Objectives, Purpose, and Expected Results Overall Objective

To establish a climate-resilient, child-friendly, disability-inclusive and financially sustainable Water ATM service model that provides affordable safe drinking water to low-income communities in Koraii slum and generates evidence for potential replication in other complex urban settlements in Dhaka, while contributing to improved public health outcomes and reduced exposure to waterborne diseases among children and vulnerable populations.

Specific Objectives

Install two Water ATM booths which is child-friendly and disability-inclusive in accessible locations within Korail, prioritizing Mosharraf Bazar and Jamai Bazar adjacent to Ershad School playground with appropriate water treatment technology and dispensing system.

Establish detailed water quality testing protocol for treated and dispensed water and monitoring database for health-related parameters and drinking water safety compliance.

Develop a cloud-based backend using Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or cellular connectivity for real-time dispense logs, transaction records, card balance management, customer profiles, machine status, revenue visibility and dashboard reporting.

Establish a self-sustaining social business model with a cross-subsidy structure that keeps water affordable for low-income and vulnerable users while supporting O&M cost recovery.

Strengthen community awareness, demand creation, user registration and local accountability through sustained mobilization and orientation activities.

Expected Results

People living in Korail, including children, women, persons with disabilities and extremely poor households, have access to safe, affordable and reliably monitored drinking water through two inclusive Water ATM booths.

Two Water ATM booths with two dispensers each are installed, commissioned and connected to real-time digital monitoring.

Appropriate treatment technology is selected based on source of water quality and consistently delivers water that meets applicable drinking water quality requirements.

A transparent Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) or smart-card based user management and cashless recharge system is operational.

A differentiated tariff and cross-subsidy mechanism is operational, including commercial users at WASA rate and LIC users at 30% subsidized rate, subject to final stakeholder agreement.

A practical O&M plan, emergency protocol and social business model are established to support functionality beyond UNICEF direct support.

Description of Assignment

The selected agency shall be responsible for end-to-end assessment, design, procurement, installation, testing, commissioning, operation support, community engagement, business model development, and reporting. The technical proposal must include a clear Water ATM configuration diagram, treatment process flow, booth layout, ICT system architecture, O&M responsibilities, quality assurance plan, and risk mitigation measures.

Installation of water ATM booths

Verify the two proposed sites for land availability, accessibility, security, drainage, flood risk, utilities, proximity to users, and site-specific environmental and social risks.

Assess OWASA water sources, connection requirements, reliability, pressure, storage needs, and operational permissions, and estimate water demand based on population, user profiles, peak demand, vulnerable groups, and affordability.

Conduct baseline and post-commissioning water-quality testing for relevant physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters, and compare results with Bangladesh standards and relevant WHO guidance.

Select appropriate treatment technologies based on source-water quality and develop the treatment design, including process flow, equipment sizing, storage, disinfection, water balance, energy requirements, maintenance, and monitoring arrangements.

Construct two durable Water ATM booths with hygienic dispensing points, appropriate raw/treated-water storage, flow meters, controlled dispensing systems, drainage, lighting, ventilation, and secure equipment housing.

Provide RFID/smart-card-based dispensing, balance and transaction indicators, low-balance alerts, flow measurement, operating instructions, emergency contacts, and mechanisms for service disruption and maintenance alerts.

Ensure flood-resilient foundations, proper drainage, safe electrical systems, vandal-resistant infrastructure, fail-safe treatment systems, and appropriate management of backwash/reject water and other operational risks.

Ensure step-free access, ramps, handrails, non-slip surfaces, accessible dispenser heights, clear Bangla/pictorial signage, visual or voice prompts, safe lighting, seating, and user-friendly queuing arrangements.

Consult women, caregivers, persons with disabilities, and other target users during design finalization, and establish commissioning certification, routine water-quality monitoring, maintenance schedules, spare-parts planning, and sustainable O&M arrangements.

Digital Platform, GSM Connectivity and Data Management

Develop or configure a cloud-based backend platform connected through GSM or cellular modules for both new Korail Water ATMs and, where feasible, previously installed Water ATMs across Dhaka city, allowing aggregation and comparison of operational performance across installations.

Capture real-time or near real-time data on litres dispensed, transaction logs, RFID card balance, recharge records, user profiles, subsidized and commercial transactions