In the Research and Consultancy front ITN-Bangladesh undertakes the following activities:

• Conduct need based research and consultancy in appropriate water supply and environmental sanitation;
• advise others on the quality, content and management of research activities;
• disseminate outputs from research and consultancy including journal articles, books and pamphlets, conferences, seminars and workshops and mass media; and
• advise on WS&S sector policy and strategy; and institutional reform and capacity building.

ITN-BUET is very selective in setting its research agenda. The emerging sector issues, which not only prevent advancement of water supply and sanitation but also jeopardize the achievements made earlier are targeted for research and studies. The arsenic menace is a burning example. The widespread arsenic contamination of groundwater has undermined the commendable success made earlier and has effectively lowered the safe drinking water coverage. A series of research projects have been launched to come out with possible solution to redress the ill-fated water supply situation. As a means of alternative options researches are active on surface water based community systems, potential of rainwater harvesting, treatment of arsenic contaminated water. The following are some of the ITN research projects.

Accomplished Research

• Participatory Apprisal on Woman's Role in Water and Sanitation Practices.
• Community Participation_Water Supply and Sanitation in Bangladesh.
• Developing a Handy Kit for Detection of Arsenic in Groundwater & Investigating its Removal Methods.
• Sanitation Strategies & Technologies in Floodprone & High Watertable Areas.
• Situation Analysis on WSS Sector Research in Bangladesh.
• Development of Effective Communication Materials for Use in Rural WatSan.
• Improving Sanitation for the Low Income Communities for Sylhet City.
• Performance Study of Existing PSFs and Design Modification.
• Study on Risk Assesment of Water Supply options for Arsenic Mitigation (RAAMO)
• Evaluation of Community Based Arsenic Mitigation through SIDKO Arsenic Removal Plant
• Removal of Arsenic from Water by Alum.
• Leaching of Arsenic from Wastes of Arsenic Removal System.
• Iron & Arsenic Removal Unit.
• Technical Apprisal and Social Acceptability on Rainwater Harvesting
• Field test of modified community based Iron and Arsenic removal unit under different hydorgeochemical situation
• Research on 'Groundwater Pollution from Onsite Sanitation'
• Research on multi-stage filtration (MSF) units
• Support to WSP Pilots and WSP Training Materials Development
• Research on Sanitation Options for Slums over Water Bodies or in Low-Lying Areas (SOS-WBLA)
• Evaluation of a Community Managed WATSAN Project implemented by DSK-Plan Bangladesh
• Feasibility Study of Rainwater Harvesting System (RWHS) in Slum Areas as an Alternative Source of Water
• Coping with Arsenicosis: Socio-economic and Gender Response to Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater in Bangladesh
• Situation Analysis: Institutional Mechanism in Water Supply and Sanitation Interventions in Poor Urban Areas
• Waste Pickers Livelihoods, Their vulnerability and Possible Measures to Overcome the Existing Condition
• Conservation of Water through the Use of Water Efficient Appliances in Dhaka City
• Appropriate Design of Ecological Sanitation for Bangladesh
• Assessment of the Performance of Modified AIRU under Different Hydro Geological
• Removal of Manganese and Arsenic from Ground Water Using Manganese Oxide Coated Sand.
• Possibility and Scope of Re-using Textile Wash Water Directly or With Minimum Treatment or Pre-treatment of Cotton Goods

Ongoing Research

• Assesing Climate Change Impacts on Surface Water of Bangladesh
• Development of Mathmatical Models of Composting in Active and Passive Aeration
• Feasibility Study for Using Waterways in Transportation of Solid Waste of Dhaka City and Preparing GIS Based Route Management System for DCC Solid Waste Management.

Potential Areas in WSS for Further Researches
A consultation meeting with the sector organizations was organized on 05 March 2007 by ITN-BUET to identify the areas and topics where some important action researches can be conducted preferably in collaboration. The potential areas in WSS for further researches are listed below:

Rural Water Supply

• Review of different alternative WS options i.e. PSF, DW, RWHS, DTW with a view to enhance their effectiveness. Such as controlling blue green algae of PSF, better construction of DW to make it bacteriologically safe and safer depth for DTWs;
• Development of possible treatment technology for iron, manganese and arsenic problem areas;
• Water quality surveillance and monitoring in the interventions of different sector organizations;
• Development of WSP tools for different context of water supply systems; and
• Review of Arsenic  kits to enhance its effectiveness;

Urban Water Supply

• Appropriate institutional arrangement for effective water supply system;
• Viability of public-private partnership in pourashavas;
• Reforms needed for sustainability of WSS in pourashavas;
• Development of WSP tools for different context of water supply systems.
• Assessment of service life of production well;
• Identification of appropriate technological options for coastal belt;
• Artificial recharge of groundwater;
• Assessment of aquifer capacity; and
• Conservation of water.

Rural Sanitation

• Technical and socio-economic assessment of different sanitation options;
• Development of appropriate sanitation options in hilly/haor/flood prone areas;
• Sludge management technology;
• Spacing between latrine and hand tube wells;
• Ecological sanitation;
• Monitoring the hygienic behavior; and
• Sanitation options for excluded groups i.e. old, disabled people.

Urban Sanitation

• Viability of combined sewerage in major cities;
• Appropriate process and technology of de-sludging;
• Appropriate technological option for low-lying areas;
• Performance assessment of public toilets;
• Development/reviewing of effective soak wells; and
• Resource recovery from Solid waste management.

Cross cutting Topics

• Impact assessment of health outcome;
• Development of indicators for assessment of behavioral change; and
• Provision of subsidy to hard core poor.

Proposals for undertaking research with funding support from ITN-BUET

Individual researchers willing to undertake researches in the areas of WSS discipline as indicated in the preceding sections are required to prepare and submit proposals to ITN Centre, BUET.

In case of institutions willing to carryout researches in collaboration with ITN Centre may also initiate and submit proposal to the Centre.

For the preparation of the proposals it is suggested to follow Standard Format designed by ITN Centre.

Click here to download the Guidelines for Project Proposal
Click here to download the Standard Project Proposal format

For further information with respect to research proposals please contact, "Training & Technology Specialist" of ITN Centre (smzulker@yahoo.com)

For further information about Research activities please contact ITN Centre