One of the two Surface Water Treatment Plants started its trial operation from Sunday after six years of its construction. Two Surface Water Treatment Plants at Ruptali (RSWTP) and another at Beltola ((BSWTP) in southern and northern parts of the city were built in 2012. The construction works were planned by Public Health Department (PHED) in 2009-2010 fiscal and started at the cost of Tk 27crore for BSWTP and Tk 24 crore for RSWTP with total capacity for supplying per day 3.6 lakh liter drinking water to the citizens. Construction works of those plants were completed in 2012.

According to a MOU signed between Barishal City Corporation (BCC) and PHED it was decided that after six months trial operation the plant would be handed over to BCC. However, trial operation and handing-over of the plants was delayed due to lack of electricity supply.

The operations delayed due to tag of war for realizing Taka 30 crore arrears electricity supply bill of Barishal City Corporation (BCC) and West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDCO).

Later after a negotiation with the help of district administration and paying Tk one crore as first installment by BCC, electricity connections were given to the plants by WZPDCO mid of this year.

Rupatali Surface Water Treatment Plant started trial operation on April of last fiscal, but Beltala Surface Water Treatment Plant failed to start trials due to speedy erosion of Kirtankhola River in area.

So RSWTP succeeded to start trial operation, but threat of river erosion barred BSWTP from starting trial operation even after getting power supply.

However, advancing speedy erosion of Kirtonkhola River already eroded guide wall, walkway, first water reserving tank, major parts of laboratory building and pump house made the BSWTP at the verge of extinction.