Drainage system, its water quality and heath effect: A case study of Rajshahi city, Bangladesh

Abstract

As a fast-growing, developing and populated city, Rajshahi needs a hygienic environment to ensure the sound survival of its dwellers. But it’s an irony of fate that the mass people lack basic knowledge about it. However, most of the cities in Bangladesh didn’t grow in a planned way. They have no continuous sewerage system. And the incomplete ill-developed drainage system has to carry wastewater, rainwater and liquid waste from the septic tank. Nevertheless, these wastewaters are directly disposed into nearby streams. This study investigated the condition of the drainage system, qualities of the water carried and the health effects of it. Firstly, drainage data was collected from Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA), journals and some other secondary sources. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted randomly all over the city along with sample water collection. After the field survey, laboratory tests were done to know about water quality. Thus the feasibility of the prevailing hygienic environment was evaluated. Then the main problems were identified in this field and probable solutions were suggested.