Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Water Quality of Shallow Tube Wells as Affected by Sanitary Latrines and Groundwater Flow

SYED HAFIZUR RAHMAN
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

A. N. M. FAKHRUDDIN
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

MOHAMMED JAMAL UDDIN
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

MD. SHAHID ZAMAN
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

ASISH TALUKDER
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

TANVEER MEHEDI ADYEL
School of Environmental Systems Engineering, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling HYW, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

MD. MIZANUR RAHMAN SARKER
Department of Geological Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The present study investigated the probable influence of latrines and groundwater flow on the water quality of shallow tube wells in Shinduria village (23?52' N and 90?14' E) of Dhaka district, Bangladesh. A questionnaire survey was made to collect basic information on tube wells and latrines. Four boreholes were drilled to investigate lithostratigraphy. Twenty one water samples were collected and their physico-chemical parameters (Dissolved Oxygen, pH, phosphate, sulphate, nitrate, nitrite and iron) were analyzed using standard method. Total viable bacterial count (TVBC), total coliform count (TCC), total faecal coliform count (TFCC), total salmonella shigella (TSS) and total vibrio count (TVC) were also made using membrane filtration method. Average depth of the tube wells was 120 ft and most of them were less then ten years old. About 85% latrines were ring slab type and about 50% of these were built during the last five years. From borehole data, a shallow aquifer was identified at a depth of hundred feet from where local people extract drinking water. Although most of the physico-chemical parameters of the tested samples were within the Department of Environment (DoE). But almost all of the tested samples failed to ensure the quality of acceptable level for drinking water recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) due to the presence of higher load of TVBC (5.07 × 10³ cfu/100 ml), TCC (8.44 × 10³ cfu/100 ml), TFCC (5.16 × 10² cfu/100 ml) and TSS (1.10 × 10³ cfu/100 ml). Local geological conditions and proximity between tube well and latrine promoted bacterial transport towards tube well while groundwater flow direction from the adjacent Bangshi River influenced the phenomenon.

Keywords: Lithostatigraphy, Aquifer, Microbial load, Bangladesh

Location: Savar, Dhaka

Start Date: 01-01-2011

End Date: 30-06-2012

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Water quality

Objectives:

To investigate the probable influence of latrines and groundwater flow on the water quality of shallow tube wells in a rural village of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Shinduria (23?52' N and 90?14' E), a rural village under Savar Upazilla of Dhaka district, Bangladesh was selected for the present study. The Bangshi River is flowing along north-south direction at west side of the village. This uplifted Pleistocene terrace, one to 30 feet above the adjacent flood plains, comprises the south-western part of Madhupur Tract under the Tangail-Tripura High and is bounded by the Ganges floodplain in the east, the Brahmaputra floodplain in the north, the Jamuna floodplain in the west. A structured questionnaire was surveyed in 90 houses of the study area to gather information about tube wells types, its installation year, depth, types and characteristics of latrines. Four bore holes (up to 125 ft) were accomplished by wash borings method followed in Hand Dug technique of shallow wells. Drilling method prevents a complete evaluation of the finer grained fraction (commonly fine-grained sand and silt) that tends to be held in suspension by the drilling fluids. Lithologic descriptions are based on the criteria as (1) major textural class, (2) estimated grain-size distribution by major textural class: (A) silt-clay (<0.05 mm) (B) sand (0.05-2.00 mm) and (C) gravel (>2.00 mm), (3) grain and clast shape, (4) sorting and approximate range of grain and clast size, (5) clast composition and approximate relative abundance, in decreasing order of abundance, and (6) color using Munsell notation. At least 500 gm sample at 0 - 20, 20 - 60, 60 - 80, 80 - 100, 100 - 125 ft were kept in sterile poly bag, sealed, labeled with unique sample identity, brought to the laboratory and stored at ambient conditions prior to the analysis of lithologic features. Bore logs, 3D model and panel diagram of study area were modeled using Rockworks Software 2004. Groundwater flow direction of the study area was taken from available data and observations. Water samples were collected from 21 shallow tube wells (triplicate of 1000 ml from each sampling point) randomly throughout the study area. pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) of the water samples were measured in situ using digital pH meter and DO meter, respectively.

Source of Information: Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 37, No. 2, 231-243, 2013

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Improper sanitary latrines are supposed to be one of the sources in rural Bangladesh where latrines are closely located to shallow tube wells. Local geomorphology, lithostratigraphy and groundwater flow also influence microbial contamination of shallow aquifer. It can be concluded that latrines influence microbial contamination of adjacent tube well water where aquifer flow direction is from latrine to tube well. In the study area tube well should be located at western side of the latrine and the distance between them should be more than 10 ft to avoid the possibility of microbial contamination. Therefore, information on local lithology and groundwater flow direction should be considered during new shallow tube well installation in any rural area of Bangladesh adjacent to pit latrine.

Knowledge Management: Journal