Bacteria present in 40pc tube-well water: Survey

Bacterial contamination is found in almost 40 percent of tube-wells in a survey that casts doubts upon the quality of drinking water in the country, according to NGO Forum.

Such prevalence of bacteria in underground water poses a great risk of spreading intestinal diseases in many areas across the country, the NGO observes.

The NGO Forum presented the survey findings at an experience sharing event titled “Efforts to Ensure Safe Water Through Water Quality Testing Services” held at the DPHE auditorium in the capital yesterday.

Earlier, it had collected water from 3,654 tube-wells from all seven divisions in the country between 2005 and 2014 and tested the samples at its own laboratory.

The study, however, did not mention how many people were likely to be affected by the contaminated water.

Addressing the event, SMA Rashid, the Forum's executive director, said their laboratory, which was established in Dhaka in 2000, was equipped with instruments able to test water samples using 41 parameters. On average, they conducted 12,000 to 16,000 tests at the laboratory every year, he added.

Dr Abul Hasnat Milton, senior lecturer of The School of Medicine and Public Health at University of Newcastle, Australia, presented the key findings of the survey. He said the prevalence of bacteria in drinking water posed a particular challenge to the country since about 50 percent of the population would be living in urban areas by 2030.

He also pointed out that unsafe level of manganese was found in water samples collected from different districts.

“Seventeen percent of the country's tube-wells are unsafe because of the concentration of manganese in the water,” he added. Water samples from 6,780 tube-wells were tested for manganese, he informed.

SMA Rashid said concentration of manganese was a threat to mental development of children. “Increased manganese in water can reduce the IQ level of children,” he observed.

Stating that almost 10 percent of maternal deaths in Bangladesh occurred due to waterborne disease Hepatitis E, Rashid said ensuring safe water, sanitation and hygiene could avert the situation.

“Tests confirm that mere installation of a safe water technology alone cannot ensure water free from harmful pathogenic microorganisms and other pollutants,” he added.

Water testing facilities accessible to the general public were very essential, he observed.

Chaired by Vice-chancellor of Stamford University Bangladesh Prof Dr M Feroze Ahmed, the event was moderated by Dr Mahfuzar Rahman, head of Research and Evaluation Division, BRAC, and addressed by, among others, Prof Dr Kazi Matin Ahmed of geology at Dhaka University and environmental microbiologist Md Sirajul Islam of ICDDR,B.