Investigation of Coliform Load, Supplied Water Quality and Sanitation Status of Sherpur Municipality of Bangladesh
Selina Akhter Lira
Department of Environmental Science and Resource Management, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
Fatema Akter
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Tawhidur Rahman
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar-1342, Bangladesh
Md. Shariful Islam
Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
Rafsan Zani Tanvir
Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
Abu Saim Al Salauddin
Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh
Mohammed Farhad Hossain
Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh
Shoaib Mahmud Shaon
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar-1342, Bangladesh
Md. Masud Rana
Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
Shahin Mahmud *
Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Water is indispensible for the survival of living organisms, therefore easy access of adequate and safe water is a basic need for human beings. Various health problems are caused by consumption of unsafe water. Sherpur is one of the oldest municipality of Bangladesh where about major part of the household has been suffering shortage of safe water supply; as a result sanitation status is affected negatively. The supplied water of the municipality seems to be quite good at least in terms of physicochemical water quality parameters, as most of the physicochemical water quality parameters were within the Bangladesh drinking water quality standards. The survey showed that sanitation facilities are quite good as 78% of the respondents use pit latrines, 16% use septic tank latrine and only 6% use hanging latrine. The study also showed that people are not conscious enough for the disposal of their household sewage and sludge as 46% of the respondents dispose their household sewage and sludge into municipal drainage system that cause cross-contamination, 39% dump it on the open field and only 15% buried the domestic wastes. In this regard, the municipal authority should proper monitoring the water supply system; carry out different programs and introducing different project for improving sanitation status.
Keywords: Water supply, sanitation, sewage and public health