Study on Water Uses Pattern in an Urban Slum of Dhaka City

Abstract

Slum population has largely increased in Bangladesh over the last three decades along with growth and expansion of cities and towns. It creates additional pressure on the infrastructure and water resources. Rapid urbanization caused severe pressure on urban housing and public services. Access to safe water for drinking should be available to every human being, now and in the future. Water supply facilities in terms of quality and quantity are almost necessary for assessing the living environment of the slum. But slum facilities are very much unsatisfactory for them due to lack of proper water supply and sanitation system. As a result, majority of population in Bangladesh suffer from different kinds of water borne diseases that aggravate in their poverty situations. That’s why, essential goal of the study is to investigate of water supply facility. This report presents water uses pattern in an urban slum of Dhaka city. The investigation of respondents’ characteristics, different available water sources, water quality and physical properties of water, health, hygiene and environmental condition are all included. During the study period, data and information were collected by questionnaire survey at Korail slum. During this study 170 participants were surveyed from the study area. The arranged and sorted out data has been correlation by Microsoft excel. Water usage rates are different for various sources. In case of drinking purpose, 69% people use tap water, 3% people use bottle water and 28% people use well water. For cooking purpose, 69% people use tap water, 3% people use bottle water and 23%people use well water. 125 people said they drink 0-15 glasses of water daily and 45 people said they drink 15-30 glasses of water daily. For water treatment purposes, 15% people use boiling water, 3% people use water purification tablet, 9% people use filter and 77% people don’t use any treatment. Showing any type of color in water is 45% and 55% water don’t show any color. 45% people said that, Cost of water is 100-125 taka per month for a family, 51% people said that cost of water is 125-150 taka per month for a family. The amount of diarrhea affected people is 48% from the surveyed, cholera affected people is 21%, and 29% people said that water borne disease don’t affect them. The study is aimed to motivate the slum living people to use safe treated water and grow awareness among them.