अमूर्त

Assessment of Drinking Water Quality and Hygienic Conditions of the People Living around the Dingaputha Haor Area of Netrokona District, Bangladesh

Shamsur R, Muhammad AA, Md Azharul I , Sayema TFK and Mohammod LK

The study was conducted to investigate the drinking water quality parameters from different sources (tubewells and haor) and hygienic conditions of people living around the Dingaputha haor area of Netrokona District. It was found that the levels of DO, pH, EC, TDS, NO3- from both tubewell and haor water were within or near to standard level for drinking (ECR, 1997) and the levels of BOD, Phosphorous from both tubewell and haor water exceeded the standard level for drinking slightly. The Arsenic and Iron concentration of tubewell water exceeded the standard level for drinking extremely (WHO, 2003). The highest number of Escherichia coli bacteria was found in haor water due to open toilets nearby haor and the lowest number of Escherichia coli bacteria was found in tubewell water of Magan-Siader Union both of which exceeded the standard for drinking (EPA, 1996). It was also observed that about 82.5 % people had access to tubewell water for drinking and 17.5% people had no access to tubewell water for drinking. The hygienic condition of Digaputha haor area of Netrokona District was very poor. The distances between tubewell and toilet were very near to each other and the open hanging toilets nearby haor were also found. People using contaminated tubewell water for drinking and haor water for cooking were infected with various water borne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, liver diseases (Cirrhosis, Cancer), skin disease etc. Water quality, sanitation and hygienic conditions should be managed and monitored properly in haor area.