Investigation of Coliform Load, Supplied Water Quality and Sanitation Status of Sherpur Municipality of Bangladesh

Water is indispensible for the survival of living organisms, therefore easy access of adequate and safe water is a basic need for human beings. Various health problems are caused by consumption of unsafe water. Sherpur is one of the oldest municipality of Bangladesh where about major part of the household has been suffering shortage of safe water supply; as a result sanitation status is affected negatively. The supplied water of the municipality seems to be quite good at least in terms of physicochemical water quality parameters, as most of the physicochemical water quality parameters were within the Bangladesh drinking water quality standards. The survey showed that sanitation facilities are quite good as 78% of the respondents use pit latrines, 16% use septic tank latrine and only 6% use hanging latrine. The study also showed that people are not conscious enough for the disposal of their household sewage and sludge as 46% of the respondents dispose their household sewage and sludge into municipal drainage system that cause cross-contamination, 39% dump it on the open field and only 15% buried the domestic wastes. In this regard, the municipal authority should proper monitoring the water supply system; carry out different programs and introducing different project for improving sanitation status.