Ground drinking water and its consequences on health of residents; A case study of selected areas in Bahawalpur City

Abstract

< align="justify"> Arsenic in ground drinking water exposure serious skin diseases, including skin cancer, lung, bladder and kidney cancers, and perhaps other internal tumors, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes. This research is focused on poor ground drinking water quality of four selected areas (Tibba Badar Shar, Modal Town “C”, Nashat Colony and Ghani ghot) in Bahawalpur. The residents of the study areas have no awareness about drinking water quality. Main objectives of the study is to exam the drinking water quality and compare with W.H.O standard and identify the different types of diseases caused by the Arsenic drinking water. A cross-sectional study was designed to look into the drinking water quality influencing factors and their health outcome of study areas. Water sample was collected through random sampling from the selected study areas and tested in Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) Bahawalpur laboratory. After the water tested, water testing report was compare with W.H.O standard and checked the arsenic level in drinking water. In study area for check public health and awareness we conducted the structured questionnaire survey. A random sampling technique was applied for data collection. Data was collected through questionnaire (social survey technique) and 136 inhabitants were selected for sampling. After the data collection data was analyzed by using statistical techniques such as chi-square, correlation on quantitative data. The findings of the study related that People are using contaminated drinking water by arsenic. Due to the used of arsenic drinking water the rate of diseases is rapidly high. There was a significant relationship between the socio economic characteristics i.e. family type, education level, household income, public awareness and health outcome. The present study suggested that the policy makers formulate the policies towards the efficient handling of limited water resources and its quality