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Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution. Vol. 22, No. 1 (2025), pp. 67-82.
doi: 10.36922/ajwep.8163

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Water quality assessment and health risk evaluation
in Kushtia Municipality, Bangladesh: A comparative

analysis of untreated water, treated water, and public

water points

Md. Anik Hossain , Md. Inzamul Haque* , Md. Asikur Rahman ,
Most. Atia Parvin , and Abul Bashar
Department of Geography and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, Khulna, Bangladesh
*Corresponding author: Md. Inzamul Haque (mihaque@ge.iu.ac.bd)

Received: December 24, 2024; Revised: February 18, 2025; Accepted: February 19, 2025; Published Online: March 11, 2025

Abstract: Pipeline water supply, a primary source in urban areas, delivers treated water from water treatment
plants (WTPs) directly to consumers. This study comprehensively evaluates water quality in Kushtia Municipality,
Bangladesh, focusing on untreated water, treated water, and freely available public water point (PWP) samples.
Twelve water samples were collected from March 1 to 7, 2024, and analyzed for physicochemical and microbiological
parameters using standard methods. The treatment efficiency, water quality index (WQI), Nemerow pollution
index (NPI), and hazard quotient were calculated based on the analytical measurements. Findings indicate that,
among the 12 assessed parameters, only three comply with Bangladesh’s water quality standards. The mean
cumulative efficiency shows that WTP 2 exhibits the highest treatment efficiency (30.76%), whereas WTP 1 has
the lowest (12.34%). While WQI scores classify all treated and PWP samples as “unfit” for consumption, treated
water demonstrates comparatively better quality than PWPs. The NPI analysis identifies the primary contributing
pollutants in the following order: Biochemical oxygen demand>hardness>alkalinity>iron>temperature>electrical
conductivity. The health risk assessment reveals no significant risk of iron ingestion or dermal exposure for adults
and children. However, long-term ingestion of arsenic-contaminated water presents a moderate health risk for both
groups, while dermal contact poses no risk.

Keywords: Health risk assessment; Kushtia municipality; Nemerow pollution index; Physicochemical and
microbiological parameters; Water quality index; Water treatment plants

1. Introduction indicators. However, the pollution of these parameters
has become a global concern, driven by population
Safe and clean water is essential for human health and growth, agricultural and industrial activities, inadequate
survival and is recognized as a fundamental human sewage management, and climate change. 3
right. Beyond sustaining life, water plays a critical role Water contamination, poor drinking water quality,
1
in socioeconomic development. Water quality is often and limited access expose populations to disease-
2
classified into three primary categories: biological, causing organisms, pathogens, and hazardous levels
physical, and chemical, each characterized by distinct of toxic substances and suspended solids. These
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Volume 22 Issue 1 (2025) 67 doi: 10.36922/ajwep.8163