Asia Arsenic Network (AAN) implements its programs primarily in arsenic-affected rural areas of Bangladesh, where groundwater contamination poses a serious threat to public health and livelihoods. The organization’s geographic focus has been shaped by hydrogeological evidence, national arsenic mapping data, and long-term engagement with communities facing chronic exposure risks.
AAN’s field operations span across Bangladesh, with a historical concentration in the south-western area, including Khulna, Jashore, and Satkhira, and the north-eastern area, including , Gowainghat, Balaganj, Kulaura, Kanaighat, and Dharmapasha. Beyond these regions, AAN has also conducted extensive programs and gained experience in Jessore, Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Chandpur, and Rangpur, addressing arsenic contamination, safe water supply, WASH interventions, and community health initiatives. These regions are characterized by high dependence on groundwater for drinking and domestic use, limited access to alternative safe water sources, and high levels of poverty and social vulnerability. Notably, AAN has also extended its interventions to humanitarian contexts, such as Rohingya camps, where it implemented sustainable piped water networks across WDZ 8E.02, 8E.03(A), and 8E.04. These systems, including production wells, reservoirs, pipelines, and solar-powered pumps, now deliver safe drinking water to over 15,300 refugees. Community ownership was prioritized through training of caretakers, formation of WASH management and tap stand committees, and ongoing water quality monitoring, ensuring long-term operation despite challenges such as high settlement density and limited well capacity.
Within its operational areas, AAN works across multiple administrative levels, including villages, unions, and upazilas, to ensure coordinated and context-specific interventions. Site selection for project implementation is guided by a clear and evidence-based set of criteria, including the presence of arsenic contamination above national drinking water standards, the absence or failure of existing arsenic-safe water options, a high level of population dependence on contaminated tube wells, demonstrated community willingness to participate in collective management and maintenance of water systems, and alignment with local government development priorities and plans. This targeted geographic and administrative strategy enables AAN to prioritize the most vulnerable communities, optimize the use of limited resources, and maximize the likelihood of long-term sustainability and impact of its water and WASH interventions.