Bottled water exposes health risk!
Drinking water in jars and bottles is commonplace in almost every office, house and roadside shop in the capital city.
However, this water is unsafe in most cases because of harmful elements in it. A research finds intense level of coliform bacteria mingled in almost all such jar water sold across the capital.
A group of researchers at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) studied the level of minerals in jars and bottled water in Dhaka in December last year and collected samples from around 250 jars in the city’s Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Elephant Road, New Market, Chawk Bazar, Sadarghat, Keraniganj, Jatrabari, Motijheel, Basabo, Malibagh, Rampura, Mohakhali, Gulshan, Banani, Uttara, Airport, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Gabtoli, and Aminbazar, Savar and Ashulia areas.
The level of coliform bacteria in the samples collected from Elephant Road, Chawkbazar, Basabo, Banani, Gulshan, Paltan, Motijheel and Sadarghat areas was found to be significant on examination.
Only Sadarghat area samples were the most polluted with highest total coliform and fecal coliform at 1600 mpn and 240 mpn (most probable count) respectively, per 100 ml of water.
However, this water is unsafe in most cases because of harmful elements in it. A research finds intense level of coliform bacteria mingled in almost all such jar water sold across the capital.
A group of researchers at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) studied the level of minerals in jars and bottled water in Dhaka in December last year and collected samples from around 250 jars in the city’s Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Elephant Road, New Market, Chawk Bazar, Sadarghat, Keraniganj, Jatrabari, Motijheel, Basabo, Malibagh, Rampura, Mohakhali, Gulshan, Banani, Uttara, Airport, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Gabtoli, and Aminbazar, Savar and Ashulia areas.
The level of coliform bacteria in the samples collected from Elephant Road, Chawkbazar, Basabo, Banani, Gulshan, Paltan, Motijheel and Sadarghat areas was found to be significant on examination.
Only Sadarghat area samples were the most polluted with highest total coliform and fecal coliform at 1600 mpn and 240 mpn (most probable count) respectively, per 100 ml of water.
The waterborne coliform, experts say, primarily encourages the formation of various diseases making pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses and protozoan. Different bacteria create various diseases and decrease the power of reducing or preventing diseases in the human body. As a result, other pathogenic germs grow rapidly, creating a major threat later.
In the name of pure water, the water supplying companies are allegedly supplying contaminated water inconsiderately.
BSTI source says, only one out of the 10 companies, Everest Drinking Water, received BSTI approval, but it too did not purify the substance duly.
“The presence of coliform helps growth of other pathogenic bacteria and viruses, responsible for diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery and jaundice, said Dr Tareq Mahmud Salahuddin of Salimullah Medical College and Hospital.
“Proper filtered and boiled water can be safe for drinking as there is hardly any chance for them to have waterborne germs,” he added.
Dr Golam Kibria, a prominent health expert of the country said, “Polluted water is harmful for health. Due to drinking this water, diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice, liver cirrhosis and other diseases can lead to more deadly diseases.”
As the polluted water is one of the main causes of child mortality in the country, Dr Kibria urged a stop to the trade of this polluted water at any cost.
Researchers alleged that though the BSTI has set the standard of water commercially supplied for drinking, the contaminated water trade is continuing, due to lack of regulation.
When contacted, Rezaul Karim, Director (Standard) of Bangladesh Standards Testing Institution said, “Such water is not properly tested as it is produced by many unauthorized companies”.
“We can only testify to the standard of the water, but regulation is not in our hands,” he added.
The article was first published at Bangladesh Post
In the name of pure water, the water supplying companies are allegedly supplying contaminated water inconsiderately.
BSTI source says, only one out of the 10 companies, Everest Drinking Water, received BSTI approval, but it too did not purify the substance duly.
“The presence of coliform helps growth of other pathogenic bacteria and viruses, responsible for diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery and jaundice, said Dr Tareq Mahmud Salahuddin of Salimullah Medical College and Hospital.
“Proper filtered and boiled water can be safe for drinking as there is hardly any chance for them to have waterborne germs,” he added.
Dr Golam Kibria, a prominent health expert of the country said, “Polluted water is harmful for health. Due to drinking this water, diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice, liver cirrhosis and other diseases can lead to more deadly diseases.”
As the polluted water is one of the main causes of child mortality in the country, Dr Kibria urged a stop to the trade of this polluted water at any cost.
Researchers alleged that though the BSTI has set the standard of water commercially supplied for drinking, the contaminated water trade is continuing, due to lack of regulation.
When contacted, Rezaul Karim, Director (Standard) of Bangladesh Standards Testing Institution said, “Such water is not properly tested as it is produced by many unauthorized companies”.
“We can only testify to the standard of the water, but regulation is not in our hands,” he added.
The article was first published at Bangladesh Post
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