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ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLIES TO REPLACE ARSENIC POLLUTED GROUNDWATER IN BANGLADESH

Masum Jujuly

First published: 2011-06-20https://doi.org/10.5593/sgem2011/s13.102View metrics

Abstract

Bangladesh faces a major challenge in supplying safe potable water to the most of her 160 million people. The drinking water in Ba ngladesh is largely sourced from hand- pump tubewells, which draw drinking water from shallow aquifer, which has been badly polluted with Arsenic in recent years. Although various methods have been proposed to solve this problem, an acceptable and sustainabl e solution is yet to be achieved. As an alternative, rainwater can be harvested and used to secure the safe potable water for Bangladesh. This paper proposes an alterna tive community-based rainwater-fed surface water supply scheme to provide fresh drinking water to the affected regions. It is argued that rainwater is a viable alternative fresh water source which can be preserved in a community owned purpose built surface water la ke. A simple low-cost water treatment and distribution system can then be built to treat and su pply the lake water. Various challenges for such an alternative water supply scheme are discussed in the paper.

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Publication details

Title
ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLIES TO REPLACE ARSENIC POLLUTED GROUNDWATER IN BANGLADESH
Authors
Masum Jujuly
Proceedings
SGEM International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference EXPO Proceedings; SGEM2011 11th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference
Publisher
Stef92 Technology
Year
2011
Pages
Not available yet
ISSN
1314-2704
ISBN
Not available yet
Language
en
Publication type
Conference Paper
Keywords
Rainwater harvestingarsenicgroundwater contaminationtubewells
References14

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