A/HRC/15/55* for a demand-led approach. Several interlocutors indeed repeated to the independent expert that “latrinization is not sanitation”. More must also be done to ensure sanitation facilities are present in schools, markets and other public places. 57. The independent expert notes that the move from open to fixed-place defecation is an important first step towards improving access to sanitation, and Bangladesh has made important progress in this regard. However, fixed-place defecation may still pose hygiene problems. For example, the independent expert was told that, in some cases, people do not want to put the water seal in their latrines (designated to ensure safe separation of excreta from human and animal contact), because the seal requires more water to clean the latrine, and people do not want to “waste” scarce water resources. The Government has been working with latrine manufacturers to ensure that they do not install latrines without this crucial seal. In addition, in coastal areas, where water tables are rising, low-cost latrines may not be safe. Monitoring is crucial to ensure that these sanitation interventions are sustainable and do not fail once the pit is full, the latrine needs repairs or floods arrive. 58. The independent expert is concerned that very little attention is paid to ensuring the safe treatment and disposal of wastewater. She notes that there is a tradition of manual scavenging in Bangladesh, which poses serious health concerns (see paragraph 76 below). She was impressed by the efforts made by non-governmental organizations to find technological solutions for hygienically emptying pit latrines, such as the Vacutug. Apparently, the contents of the pits are currently emptied directly into waterways, jeopardizing the quality of that water. The Dhaka Water Authority reported to the independent expert that it only had one sewage treatment plant for a population of 10 million. The sewage load in Dhaka is estimated to be 100 times greater than the capacity of the plant. Despite the known problems with treating wastewater, construction of new habitations continues in Dhaka, with increasing connections to a sewage network that has a limited capacity for treatment. The Water Authority explained that five new sewage treatment plants are needed in Dhaka, and that two of these plants are currently under consideration for construction. Given the fact that the Government has to use surface water as an alternative source of drinking water, the construction of these five treatment plants is urgent. C. Water quality and water availability 59. Water quality is a serious problem in Bangladesh. Arsenic in the groundwater and the pollution of surface water jeopardize the safe use of water sources. These quality issues create de facto water availability problems for a country which otherwise has an abundant supply of water. 60. In Bangladesh, near universal access to drinking water was attained by the mid1990s. However, the discovery of arsenic in the drinking water, especially in water coming from shallow-tube wells, reduced the number of people with access to safe drinking water, now reported at between 70 and 80 per cent. Twenty-six per cent of the population reportedly suffers from the effects of arsenic in the drinking water, which has long-term health consequences. UNICEF estimates that more than 1 million people are at risk of death from decades of exposure to arsenic.24 The Government has adopted an arsenic mitigation policy, but its implementation is allegedly poor. 61. The Government has made efforts to test many wells in the country and to mark those that are contaminated. Important awareness-raising efforts have also been made, with 24 GE.10-15451 UNICEF, op. cit., p. 156. 15