Relationship between water quality, sanitation and hygiene on environmental health of community settled on Kahayan River Bank, Palangka Raya

Abstract

People in Central Kalimantan province have long depended on the rivers around their villages. Yet, reports from the local health service show that the five diseases with the most patients are related to environmental factors, such as sanitation of water reservoirs and sanitation of home yards. This study aims to analyze the relationship between water quality, sanitation, and hygiene on environmental health in settlements on the banks of the Kahayan River. Data on sanitation, hygiene, and public health status were collected through observation and interviews, while river water quality was tested in the laboratory. The water to be analyzed was taken from three spots, namely upstream and downstream of the river, which are located out of the city, and the middle of river stream in the city centre. The results showed that the quality of water, sanitation, and hygiene in the city centre did not have a significant effect on environmental health even though the Environmental Heat Risk Assessment (EHRA) in the area showed poor scores. The study concludes that waste, as well as clean and healthy living behaviour is the biggest sanitation risks for environmental health. Synchronization of programs by related agencies could facilitate the arrangement of settlements on the riverbanks.