Coliform bacteria, responsible for water-borne diseases, have been detected in drinking water of 77.5 per cent hotels and restaurants in the Barisal city.
Mahmud Hasan, research analyst of environment directorate Barisal office, said they examined samples of drinking waters of 120 city hotels and restaurants in the last six months, and found coliform bacteria in 97 of them.
After completing the testing on October 31, DoE found that only 23 out of 120 hotels and restaurants have presence of coliform bacteria at a tolerable level, he informed.
Sukumar Biswas, director, Barisal regional office of the Directorate of Environment, said they started serving notices to the hotels and restaurants of Barisal city to ensure safe drinking water after the bacteria found in sample test.
Under environment conservation act 1995 (amended in 2013) one could be jailed for one year and fined Tk 2 lakh.
Besides, environment conservation regulations 1997 ordained two years’ imprisonment and Tk 10 lakhs in fine for supplying polluted drinking water to the customers of hotels and restaurants, Sukumar Biswas.
‘When coliform has been detected, repairs or modifications of the water system must be ensured and so we notified the respective hotels and restaurants to do that as early as possible,’ the DoE director said.
‘Testing for bacteria is the only reliable way to know if your water is safe. You cannot tell by the look, taste, or smell of the water if disease-causing organisms are in it,’ Dr Prodip Kumar Banik, pathologist of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.
‘If coliform bacteria are present in your drinking water, your risk of contracting water-borne diseases is high,’ said Dr Mizanur Rahman, former resident medical officer Barisal general hospital.
Sudam Ghosh, one of the leaders of hotel-restaurant owners’ association in the city, said supply of safe drinking water was the duty of city corporation.
‘But as that supply was in sufficient, they usually collect water from tubewells, preserve it in plastic containers and DoE claimed that it was contaminated with coliform bacteria,’ he said.
Md Motaleb, Barisal City Corporation executive engineer, acknowledged that at present only 40-50 per cent demand for water supply in the city could the supplied by BCC due to shortage of infrastructural facilities.
However after completing two ongoing surface water treatment plant projects to supply refined Kirtankhola river water, BCC could fulfill the demand of the citizens as well as hotels and restaurants, BCC official hoped.
Boiling the water after receiving from any source is advised until disinfection and retesting can confirm that contamination has been eliminated.
A defective well is often the cause when coliform bacteria are found in well water, said Dr Amitav Sarkar, medicine specialist of SBMCH.
-With New Age input
