Implementation of Water Safety Plans in Bangladesh: Situation and Need Analysis

Abstract

Water safety plans (WSPs) is a comprehensive health-based risk assessment and risk management approach to optimizing drinking-water safely from catchments to consumer. The focus of this research is the development and implementation of water safety plans (WSPs) to be used by the water supplier. The study was conducted at 13 districts and 18 upazills (rural and urban) among the whole Bangladesh. The data were collected during March to May, 2008 to conduct the study. In the study, primary data were collected directly from the respondents while secondary data were collected from different records available at different office, internet and journals. It was found that deep tube well and shallow tube well water was used for drinking purposes by 31.43% and 24.29% respondents respectively where as minority of the respondents used other sources. Perception about the safe drinking water for the respondents was found mostly 63% among all the respondents followed by moderately safe 21%. About 54.29% respondents were found to be fully satisfied about their drinking water followed by moderately satisfied 30%. Among all the beneficiaries 82.86% beneficiaries have been indicated communication materials like booklet, leaflet, poster, manuals, etc was available. This investigation found that 83.33% rain water harvesting plant and 66.67% deep tube well water source were in high risk category. The chances of contamination were high in the period of covering the water vessels during storage of water 64.71%. About 88.10% respondents among all the official respondents received the water safety plans training. About 66.67% officials have been responded that no sanitary inspection was done. Most of the respondents (78.57% beneficiaries and 76.19% organizational personnel) had high perception about the selected benefits of water safety plans. Among all the officials and beneficiaries i.e. 66.67% organizational personnel and 75.71% beneficiaries had high perception in selected limitations to implement the water safety plans. Finally 95.24% organizational personnel and 81.43% beneficiaries had high perception about the selected necessities to successful implementation of water safety plans in Bangladesh. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsf.v9i1-2.14657 J. Sci. Foundation, 9(1&2): 141-161, June-December 2011