LRPS-2024-9193692: Social Entrepreneur model development to ensure safely managed drinking water supply for Low-income communities through Water ATM booths under Khulna city corporation

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Institutional Contract

(Avobe USD 10,000)

 

Title

Social Entrepreneur model development to ensure safely managed drinking water supply for Low-income communities through Water ATM booths

Purpose

The primary goal of this assignment is to create a climate resilient system that will guarantee low-income, climate-migrating slum people have access to drinking water so they can exercise their fundamental rights. The task ought to be associated with the engagement of the private sector, community mobilization, generation of demand, and community involvement. To ensure that the safe water supply is available to a low-income community (at least 2,000 households; 1000 for each slum), it is important to implement appropriate treatment facilities, sustainable technology (such as water ATM booths) and inclusive design. This will allow the community to have year-round access to adequate lifeline water that is free from contamination. A sustainable operation should involve the private sector in creating a social business model that provides subsidized water to a set number of extremely impoverished people.

Location

Bastuhara (Households -1,628) and Rupshar Char (Households – 1,157) slums in Ward-09 and 22 under Khulna city corporation

Estimated Duration

3 months for installation of Water ATM, and 21 months for business development and operation and maintenance, starting from December 2024

Reporting to Technical Supervisor of this assignment

WASH Specialist, WASH Section

 

1. Background

Bangladesh is a low-lying deltaic country, making it heavily impacted by the effects of climate change. Climate change is worsening both slow (sea-level rise, temperature rise), medium (drought occurrence, changing rainfall patterns) and fast onset (storms including cyclones, storm surges, riverine-, coastal and flash floods) hazards and their knock-on effects (e.g., erosion, landslides). According to the IPCC, climate change further increases the frequency and severity of droughts, floods, and storms in Bangladesh. A projected sea-level rise of 1 m by 2,100 would submerge 18 per cent of the country, directly affecting 11 million people. Climate change affects water quality and quantity and continuity of sanitation services owing to damaged infrastructure with devastating effects on community health, livelihood, development, and resilience across the country.

 

Bangladesh has about 40 million (Source: United Nations Population Division) urban residents, and some of this expansion is attributable to migration from rural to urban areas brought on by climatic vulnerability in search of better livelihood and opportunities in the cities. But due to their inability to afford decent housing in the city, climate migrants often wind-up living in slums or other densely populated informal urban settlements with limited access to water, sanitation, education, healthcare, and social services. Furthermore, the government's safety net programs often do not cover them. In addition, the majority of slum settlements are located in low-lying areas, making them susceptible to regular floods caused by inadequate drainage systems and other climate-related dangers. With more than 300 informal settlements and half a million people, Khulna City is one of the top five cities in Bangladesh in terms of the quantity of these settlements (Rashid, 2009). Over the past ten years, the city's population has increased by more than 20% due to migration from nearby vulnerable regions (Source: 2018 IOM). Two low-Income communities within Khulna City" covering Bastuhara (Households -1,628) and Rupshar Char (Households – 1,157) slums in Ward-09 and 22 are experiencing significant amount of migration brought on by climate change (cyclones - 84%, flood -74%, the excessive tide - 31% and the tidal surge – 17%).   About 83% people were migrated for searching a better living standard but 40% people are suffering from environmental pollution (garbage), 38% people doesn’t have any access to safe drinking water and 27% people need more than 30 minutes of time including collection and transportation. While most water sources were determined to be free of arsenic contamination (≤50 μg/liter), fecal coliform (>1 CFU20/100 ml) was detected in 18% of the water at source and 40% of water at the point of uses. According to the type of water source, coliform (>1 CFU20/100 ml) was found in 57% of piped water at sources and 14% of tube wells. Regarding physical condition of the water source, 90% of tube wells had platforms with a drain/pit being connected to it, 52% of the platforms had connected drains full of garbage/debris, 13% platform are having cracks and 54% latrines at higher elevations closer to the water source. For drinking purposes, the majority of households collect water from deep tube wells. Additionally, a few of them drink from rainwater during the rainy season. However, 89% of people also experience water scarcity because groundwater depletion caused by climate change, making it difficult for them to get water during dry seasons. In addition to this depletion, water facilities got submerged during flood and people faced problems getting safe water. So, they have to search for alternative sources to collect drinking water and these low-income community people went to collect water from distant tubewells, and 43% households are consuming only 6-10 liters of drinking water in a day which can hardly meet their demand.

About 82% of households connect to the KWASA water supply through a metered connection. But many only use KWASA water for cooking and cleaning because of its bad odor, secondary contamination during transmission and lack of cleanliness. Furthermore, KWASA's pipelines were frequently flooded and mixed with contaminated water. Although the water was unfit for human consumption escept washing and cleaning. They also occasionally used surface water for cleaning. Due to their extremely unhygienic living conditions and restricted access to water supplies, and sanitation, climate migrants in these slums are suffering from diseases linked to water and sanitation. Some of the prevalent diseases in the slums are diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, skin diseases, cough, a reproductive disorder, jaundice amongst others. Some local initiatives are struggling to provide access to safe water throughout the year without an inadequate operation and maintenance plan, sustainable business model and don't seem to have the support of the local community. As a result, there is a growing need for sustainable access to lifeline water with feasible technological interventions, economically workable social business models with cross subsidies for hardcore poor and transparent distribution system.

In order to solve the aforementioned problems, UNICEF is undertaking a project called "Climate-Smart WASH" Services in the slums of Bastuhara and Rupshar Char between 2023 and 2025 with assistance from Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and Khulna Water and Sewerage Authority (KWASA). UNICEF intends to establish a climate resilient Water ATM technology with context specific treatment facilities, self-sustaining and cross-subsidized social business model that will make safe water accessible to low-income populations (at least 2000 HHs) round the year. The cross-subsidized social business model should guarantee free lifeline water to at least 100 extremely poor households (100*20 = 2000 L/day) for as long as the system is operational. UNICEF will work with KCC to secure two lands for water ATMs in two slums and identify potential extremely poor beneficiaries. The KWASA existing source, with a standard and approved rate, needs to be used to establish the water supply for this ATM system. To ensure safe water access to low-income communities with a subsidized tariff system and self-sustainable model UNICEF will provide Capex to establish two Water ATM systems with inclusive design in approved sites and two years Opex cost as quarterly basis. The business should expand gradually with time, and it is recommended to cover the whole communities of these two slums with safe and self-sustainable water supply using appropriate technology and this business model. Having a clause that allows additional hardcore households to be added to subsidized models over time is strongly encouraged.

1. Objectives, Purpose, and Expected Results

The primary and main goal of this assignment is to create a climate resilient system that will guarantee low-income, climate-migrating slum people have access to life-saving water so they can exercise their fundamental rights. The task ought to be associated with the engagement of the private sector, community mobilization, generation of demand, and community involvement. In order to ensure safe water supply to a low-income community, it is important to implement proper treatment facilities, sustainable water ATM technology with inclusive design. This will give the community year-round access to adequate lifeline water free from contamination. A sustainable operation should involve the private sector in creating a social business model that provides subsidized water to a set number of extremely impoverished people.

The following specific objectives shall ensure that the main goal is achieved: 

• To develop self-sustainable business model to ensure safe drinking water with proper treatment facilities and sustainable technology
• To ensure free safe water access to hardcore poor it is imperative to design a subsidized business model (at least 100-120 hardcore poor family should get free lifeline water)
• To ensure the quality of the water establish a periodic monitoring mechanism referring the main parameters that are health-related
• The design of the ATM booths should be inclusive which is disable, child friendly and should compliance with UNICEF standard.  
• Develop a feasible operation and maintenance plan that are sustainable and adaptable with local community and can make the system functional in a long period of time to ensure lifeline water.
• To ensure the long-term sustainability, better and healthy livelihood, it is important to create demand within slums dwellers. People living in slums must be educated about the value of safe and lifeline water, environmental sanitation, and hygiene.

 

Expected Results

By 2025 most of the climate migrated low-income community people especially hardcore poor, women headed family, disable person and family with U2 Child from Bastuhara and Rupshar Char slums under Khulna City Corporation are mobilized and reached to safe and sustainable lifeline water service using technological intervention through a cross-subsidy mechanism.

1. Description of Assignment

The scope of the assignment will be, but not limited to, the followings: 

1. Conduct detail water quality analysis.

• Conduct detail water quality assessment and set up a baseline database referencing the main parameters that are health-related.

1. Technological intervention -

• Figure out the most effective treatment facilities that can be sustained over the long run and assure sustainability. Maintaining the highest standards of water quality for human health is also crucial.
• Establish two economically workable and sustainable water ATM technology so that low-income community can have access to adequate lifeline water within an achievable distance, available round the year and free from any kind of contamination.  
• Collaborate with UNICEF, KCC and KWASA regarding lands and usage of existing source of water supply in slum areas

1. Sustainable operation and maintenance plan –

• No matter how high the quality, a system cannot function well without a maintenance and operating mechanism. Need to develop a well-planned and feasible operation and maintenance plan that are sustainable and adaptable with local community and can make the system functional in an extended period to ensure lifeline water.

1. Social business model involving private sector.

• A site-specific business plan needs to develop that considers the demand at the moment, the availability of safe water sources, and access to safe water.
• Develop a social business model so that climate migrants and low-income community (at least 2,000 households) can have access to adequate lifeline water with a fair rate structure that is workable enough to ensure access to safe water for customers, particularly women-headed families, disabled people, and families with U2 children living in the Bastuhara and Rupshar Char slums. It is imperative to create a model where 100–120 households receive subsidized lifeline water for as long as the system runs to guarantee safe water access for the extreme poor. The system should reach a self-sustaining model after UNICEF direct support. Given that Khulna is in climate-vulnerable area, the business plan should include an emergency protocol.

1. Community mobilization and demand creation

• Conduct awareness-raising programs targeting 2,785 HHs to educate the community about safe water, the benefits of using sustainable climate resilient technology (water ATM), aiming for a 70%-80% conversion rate to water ATM cardholders. 

1. Training programs and Workshops

• Training, inauguration, and dissemination involving UNICEF, KCC and KWSA, local communities, academia, developing partners and NGOs.

 

 

 

1. Deliverables

The above-mentioned scope of work is expected to be fulfilled within the period provided. The following table consists of the submission time frame expected to be maintained by the agency. 

 

Timeline

Name of activity 

Description of Tasks

Locations

Deliverable

December 2024

Develop method, approaches, business models and tools for this assignment

• Review the Terms of Reference and propose the method, approaches, business model and tools to be adopted to conduct the assignment 

Dhaka and Khulna

Inception report

January 2025

Develop and submit inclusive, climate resilient and disable friendly Water ATM machine booth design

• Inclusive design i.e. climate resilient, child, women and disable friendly
• Water quality test
• Treatment facilities design that adheres to Bangladesh's national water quality standards

Khulna

Water quality report,

Treatment facilities design,

Water ATM and Sheed design

March 2025

Install and commission Water two ATMs in Bastuhara (1) and Rupsharchar (1) slums and make it functional for the community particularly women-headed families, disabled people, and families with U2 children through UNICEF direct support (each setup should have 2 ATM for interrupted water supply)

• Installation and test trial
• Commission and inauguration.

 

Khulna

Water ATM with other technical components

Final construction Report/ Technical reports/ Briefs/ Factsheet

ATM software and database

 

April 2025

Develop a feasible operation and maintenance plan that are sustainable and adaptable with local community and can make the system functional in a long period of time to ensure lifeline water

• Develop operation and maintenance guideline.
• Training module to train caretaker

Khulna

Operation and maintenance plan, guideline

Training module

Training report

 

April 2025

Develop a social business model with a fair rate structure that is workable enough to ensure access to safe water for customers, particularly hardcore poor, women-headed families, disabled people, and families with U2 children living in the Bastuhara and Rupshar Char slums

• A site-specific subsidized social business model needs to develop that considers the demand at the moment, the availability of safe water sources, and access to safe water.
• A cross subsidized social business model with a fair rate structure where 100–120 extreme poor households receive subsidized lifeline water for as long as the system runs
• Self-sustaining mechanism after UNICEF two years support for operation and maintenance
• Business plan with emergency protocol.

Khulna

Business model

Database with beneficiaries, hardcore poor

 

Brief documents on social business model (narrative)

 

Completion Report having all technical and social components and annexes

 

 

Quarterly O&M (functionality) report having water card holder information and dispensed water information up to 21 months after construction

May 2025

Mobilize local community on safe and lifeline water, environmental sanitation and hygiene and create demand within slums dwellers for better and healthy livelihood

• Community mobilization through session, campaign, and meetings
• Demand creation

Khulna

Billboard, poster,

Session materials

 

 

 

1. Reporting requirements

Two weeks from the date of contract signing the agency must share the final version of the inception report. In each quarter the agency will submit a progress report having all water ATM card holder information, dispensed water and with all technical documents and design as annexes i.e. design of Water ATM with water quality reports/database and treatment facilities should be completed by January 2025, final construction completion report with commissioning of Water ATM with all components should by March 2025. The agency should submit a system functionality (operation and maintenance) report on a quarterly basis up to two years O&M phase. An operation and maintenance guideline and social business model should be finalized and submitted to UNICEF by April 2025 with relevant database and information. UNICEF must receive a draft of the final report by the first week of the last month of the contract for review. It is strongly advised that the table of contents be distributed to all team members prior to beginning work on the final report. After receiving feedback from UNICEF, the agency will submit the final completion report with all technical and social aspects and annexes by May 2025.

1. Payment Schedule

• 10% of total fee upon submission of the inception report describing methodology, approaches, and tools to be adopted to conduct the assignment with work plan.
• 40% of total fee upon acceptance of technological design for treatment facilities and Water ATM
• 25% of the total fee upon completion of water ATM system with technical report/briefs/factsheet
• 25% of total fee on acceptance of final report with all technical and social aspects and annexes and 24 months operation and maintenance (quarterly payment for operation and maintenance).

 

1. Qualification requirement of the company/institution/organization

The implementing agency should have comparable work experience in WASH, water quality assessment, treatment facility design and implementation, operation and maintenance, and social business models in climate-vulnerable areas. Additionally, they must be able to collaborate with the GoB, NGOs, and any other growing partners.

The implementing agency should have -

• minimum of eight (8) years of experience in similar set of works i.e. safe water supply ensuring water quality and sustainability with social business model.
• Should have experience in the development of periodic water quality monitoring mechanisms and the assessment of water quality.
• Should have the ability to design water quality treatment facilities, Water ATM and other relevant components to finalize a climate resilient and inclusive safe water system.
• able to develop sustainable operation and maintenance plan, guidelines, and training module.
• A strong commitment to creating a social business model that is site-specific, sustainable, and has a fair tariff structure. This model will ensure that the extremely poor have access to safe water for as long as it works by providing subsidized lifeline water to 100–120 households.
• Need to develop self-sustaining mechanism after UNICEF two years support for operation and maintenance and emergency protocol.
• Strong previous track record of water ATM installation and self-sustaining model development that ensuring safe water access to local communities especially in climatic vulnerable areas
• Experience to work and collaboration with government agency i.e. KCC and KWASA
• Capable to mobilize low-income community to safe water access with reasonable and fair rate and transparent operation. Also, able to create demand of local community people about this business model.
• the capability to manage human resources to carry out time-based activities and deliverables as an emergency project.
• a flexible mentality to allow for modifications to the deliverables as needed.
• an efficient system for managing finances that can produce financial reports on a regular basis, including invoices, and track spending against the budget.
• the ability to provide standard technical and completion reports and finish all jobs within the allotted time.
• relevant organizational policies that are actively implemented for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse of the affected population.
• excellent coordination ability with UNICEF, Government officials, developing partners, NGOs, and local stakeholders.
• The agency should not sub-contract any other agencies.
• The agency should have qualified experts and it’s imperative to have an experience and qualified team leader/manager to manage the team and overall activities.