A study on alternative sources of safe drinking water for the arsenic affected areas in Kachua thana of Chandpur district

Abstract

Arsenic contamination in b'Toundwaterand Its toxic effect on hl.lmanhealth is a new public health problem in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh more than 90% of the people are dependent on water supply from the groundwater ~oun;es. For mon::than 50 years, tubewells have been introduced for safe drinkmg water and domestic purposes, Bllt vcry recently the arsemc conlammation in groundv>aterand its effect on human health are creating a problem among the people. The study was undertaken to lUlderstandthe present situation of arsemc contamination 111dnnking water of Bangladesh. It attempts to know the extent and depth of arsenic occurrence In drinking water of tubewells, DPHE, Grameen Bank, NlPSOM, BRAC, BUET and other NGOs ha\'e tested tubewell water in the rural areas of Bangladesh. For thiS purpose, they have followed both laboratory and field kit methods (specially NTPSOYIkit & MERCK kllj, Although arscnic contamination ",as first detected 111Bangladesh by the Department of Public Health Eng1l1eering (DPHE) in 1993, no remarkable remedial aetivmes "'ere sel forth till 1996. According to the latest survey infonnation or the governmental and non-governmental organizatIOns,about 59 lilas out of 64 are marked as arsenic contaminated areas in Bangladesh About 65 million people live in these lilas whose IOtalarea IS 87,390 sq. km. Most of them are living at risk ofbemg affected by arsenic contaminatJon, Arscnic contamination was also found in other parts of the world where no such risk situation 1, round prevailmg as In Bangladesh. A detailed questionnalTe survey was conducted to eoilect mfonnalion on different aspects of arseme contammatlon m dnnking water of tubewells in the study area, Kachua Thana of Chandpur District Using pnmary and sccondary data from reputed and recognized orgamzatlons involved in various arsenic oriented programs along with the help of maps and other statistical techniques, the study is formulated. From thc study, it 1Srevealed that the on going investigation and measurement techniques of arsenic are not sufficient enough to identity the actual picture of the problem in the country as a whole. To save the people of the arsenic affectcd areas of Bangladesh, GO's ~d NGO's are trying to promote different types of water options Kachua Thana of Chandpur Distnct is considered as a vulnerable area of arsenic contammatlon in its b'TOund"atcrand different organizations take Initiatives to proVIdesare water options m the territory. The ,tudy was under taken to know the extent of the prohlem and remedial initiatives taken by different organizations m Kachua Thana of Chandpur District.