Status of water use sanitation and hygienic condition of urban slums: A study on Rupsha Ferighat slum, Khulna

The number of slums has significantly increased in Bangladesh over the last three decades along with the expansion of cities and towns. Rapid urbanization, caused largely by heavy influx of migrants from rural areas, has exerted severe pressure on urban housing and public services in the metropolitan city of Khulna with which the expansion of infrastructure and basic urban services could not cope. This situation coupled with the destitute economic condition of poor migrants has given rise to the formation of a large number of slums where service inadequacies have been compounded and multiplied on a massive scale, resulting in hazardous environmental condition. Against this background the study was performed. Data has been collected from field survey, some secondary sources and focused group discussion. Some experts and several officials were also interviewed whose agencies are likely to responsible for the extension of the services to the slum in the event of upgrading work being taken up. The study reveals that status and practice regarding water, sanitation and hygiene. This paper has also explored that assessment of water resource availability and quality at source point of consumption; problems faced in getting safe drinking water; and knowledge of the features of hygienic latrine; awareness about health. In addition to the above, the survey maintained a specific focus on adult man, women and young generation. The paper may attribute to further research on water supply and sanitation study it will guide those who will work to improve the present.

The level of hygiene knowledge has been found to be significantly high among the slum dwellers, although the practice is low. Emphasis should therefore be on promotion of hygiene practice rather than knowledge. For lack of sufficient water sources, most people resort to unsafe water sources like ponds, rivers and even ditches which cause sufferings from diseases. It has been found out from the survey that incidental large medical bills are interpreted as major disaster by many of the households, the economic benefits of safe water and sanitation is bound to be high once properly measured. However, it has been well-documented that the poorest are paying more per unit for essential services such as water and sanitation than middle-income residents. Poor households are not only paying more in absolute terms, but also pay more in social costs due to the degraded environments in which they live, through poor health and lost employment