Supply water using patterns and health impacts on urban dwellers: A case study of residents perceptions in Chittagong Metropolitan City, Bangladesh

Type Journal Article - Asian Journal of Water Environment
Title Supply water using patterns and health impacts on urban dwellers: A case study of residents perceptions in Chittagong Metropolitan City, Bangladesh
Author(s)
Volume 1
Issue 2
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2014
Page numbers 19-30
URL http://www.geneares.org/AJWE1.1/Supply Water Using Patterns And Health Impacts On Urban Dwellers_A​Case Study Of Residents Perceptions In Chittagong Metropolitan City Bangladesh.pdf
Abstract
The study attempts to explore the supply water using patterns in Chittagong Metropolitan City (CMC), and its perceived health impacts on urban dwellers. This is an empirical work based on field data, obtained through a structured questionnaire survey designed for the two distinct study areas of CMC. The study reveals that the major using patterns of supply water in Chittagong city are necessarily those of drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry- cloth washing, cleaning- dish washing, personal hygiene, gardening, and toilet use purposes. Piped water is the main source of drinking water for majority of the respondents. Among the various types of pollutants present in Chittagong Water Supply and Sewerage Authority’s (CWASA) supply water, bad odour, bad colour, bacteria, insects, bleaching powder, salt and iron are prominent that were widely perceived by the respondents. Total 64 percent of the respondents are found to be aware of the relationship that exists between water quality and various water-borne diseases in the city. About 56 percent of the respondents have reported that their family members have exposed to diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, typhoid or skin diseases at least once. Female and children are found to be more affected by the said diseases than their male counterparts. It is suggested that CWASA should supply safe water and people should drink it only after further treatment- boiling, filtering etc. It is also urged that people keep water saving appliances in their houses- clean water holding pot, reservoir tanks etc., and raise people awareness in the city. A reorientation in the management system- co-management is strongly urged.

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