NEWS media reported that Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) tests found 21 out of 38 samples of drinking water marketed in the capital in jars unsafe for consumption. Bacterial contamination was found in a majority of the samples collected from all over the capital during Laboratory Tests. The existence of coliform bacteria is common in the so-called filtered water supplied in jars to households, shops and offices in and around Dhaka.
The BSTI samples contained more than 1,200 coliform bacteria, above the standard level. The standard set by the BSTI requires drinking water to be totally free from faecal coliform contamination. Faecal coliform is simply stool in water and of this quality water is totally unfit for drinking as it can cause diarrhea and other public health complications. Presence of faecal coliform indicates the presence of many bacteria and viruses found in stool including Salmonella, E. Coli and Shigella bacteria and Hepatitis A and E viruses. Due to drinking contaminated water, rising number of people are affected by diarrhea everyday and of the affected about 30 per cent are children below 10.
The BSTI has given registration to so far 250 plants for producing jar-water but more than thousand of plants just bottle tap-water and supply to unsuspecting consumers in the city. The retailers are forced to buy jar-water from the plants of local politicians in order to run their business without any hassle. Even, who have registered water plants have to beg for backing from the political leaders to stay in the business.
Without sporadic drives, no authority is continuously monitoring the Dhaka’s drinking water supply system which is largely controlled by ruling political men. Local political clouts definite their area of business, and force hotel, shop and flat owners to buy from them as other producers are often barred to enter their area. Such mayhem could not be run in drinking water supply system that put millions of people in danger.
We are in dismay-what we are really drinking in the name of water! Isn’t the duty of the BSTI, WASA and the City Corporations to provide safe and pure drinking water to the people?
The BSTI samples contained more than 1,200 coliform bacteria, above the standard level. The standard set by the BSTI requires drinking water to be totally free from faecal coliform contamination. Faecal coliform is simply stool in water and of this quality water is totally unfit for drinking as it can cause diarrhea and other public health complications. Presence of faecal coliform indicates the presence of many bacteria and viruses found in stool including Salmonella, E. Coli and Shigella bacteria and Hepatitis A and E viruses. Due to drinking contaminated water, rising number of people are affected by diarrhea everyday and of the affected about 30 per cent are children below 10.
The BSTI has given registration to so far 250 plants for producing jar-water but more than thousand of plants just bottle tap-water and supply to unsuspecting consumers in the city. The retailers are forced to buy jar-water from the plants of local politicians in order to run their business without any hassle. Even, who have registered water plants have to beg for backing from the political leaders to stay in the business.
Without sporadic drives, no authority is continuously monitoring the Dhaka’s drinking water supply system which is largely controlled by ruling political men. Local political clouts definite their area of business, and force hotel, shop and flat owners to buy from them as other producers are often barred to enter their area. Such mayhem could not be run in drinking water supply system that put millions of people in danger.
We are in dismay-what we are really drinking in the name of water! Isn’t the duty of the BSTI, WASA and the City Corporations to provide safe and pure drinking water to the people?
