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Hossain, et al.

factors contribute to severe health issues, especially et al. used percentage removal efficiency and WQI
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in low-income nations. Poor drinking water quality to evaluate the performance of a WTP from source to
5
is a primary source of waterborne diseases, including household in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia. Similarly,
diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and polio. In addition, Hossain et al. evaluated treatment efficiency and overall
3,6
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exposure to heavy metals in drinking water can lead performance in Gopalganj, Bangladesh, using percentage
to skin lesions, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal removal efficiency and log removal value.
and renal dysfunction, and DNA damage, which may Other studies have investigated drinking water
alter the cell cycle or contribute to cancer development. quality in various regions. Ahsan et al. investigated
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7
Globally, unsafe water and poor sanitation affect billions drinking water quality in Dhaka City, Bangladesh,
of people, with 2 billion consuming fecal-contaminated whereas Addisie examined drinking water quality in
11
water and 4.5 billion lacking proper sanitation. These the Ethiopian highlands. In central Sichuan Province,
6
conditions account for over 80% of human illnesses, China, Su et al. applied the NPI to identify the primary
20
leading to approximately 2.2 million deaths annually in pollutants in drinking water from the Heilongtan
developing countries. In Bangladesh alone, inadequate Reservoir. Zakir et al. investigated heavy metal-
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8
water, sanitation, and hygiene contribute to the deaths related health risks and calculated WQI scores in
of around 400,000 children under 5 each year. To drinking water from Jamalpur Sadar, Bangladesh.
9
mitigate health risks, drinking water must be free from Furthermore, Chakraborty et al. estimated health risks
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pathogenic microorganisms and physicochemical and identified significant heavy metal contamination
pollutants. Water treatment processes play a crucial using the NPI in the rural region of Jashore, Bangladesh.
3
role in removing impurities that could harm human These studies highlight the varied methodologies
health, and their efficiency directly determines drinking used to assess drinking water quality at regional and
water safety. 10 global levels and reveal significant gaps in drinking
Despite government and non-governmental water quality assessment. While methods such as
organization interventions, many water delivery treatment efficiency metrics, WQI, the NPI, and health
systems remain insufficient, forcing communities to risk assessments have been widely applied, they are
rely on unimproved water sources that pose serious often used in isolation, limiting a comprehensive
health risks and reduce productivity. In developing understanding of water quality dynamics. Comparative
11
countries such as Bangladesh, pipeline-supplied water evaluations of these methodologies remain rare, leading
is rarely monitored, increasing the risk of service to uncertainties regarding their relative effectiveness in
interruptions and contamination. Previous studies different environmental and socioeconomic contexts.
12
found that 55.8% of municipalities in Bangladesh In addition, most studies fail to integrate microbial,
faced water quality issues, with contamination from chemical, and physical contaminants into a holistic
iron (66.2%), leaks (13%), bacteria (11.7%), salinity risk assessment. Addressing these gaps is crucial for
(10.4%), arsenic (6.5%), manganese (5.2%), and developing integrated, safe, and sustainable drinking
odor (5.2%). Furthermore, waterborne diseases water management frameworks.
such as diarrhea (36.4%), dysentery (33.6%), and Public water points (PWPs) serve as one of the primary
typhoid (17.1%) were prevalent. Similarly, Molla drinking water sources for marginalized populations
13
et al. reported that most water quality parameters in in Kushtia Municipality, Bangladesh. However, these
14
Chittagong, Bangladesh, exceeded safe drinking water sources are frequently neglected in water quality
limits. Given these challenges, extensive monitoring of monitoring and associated health risk assessments. The
drinking water treatment plants (WTPs) is required to physical, chemical, and microbial contaminants present
ensure adequate water quality. However, fluctuations in PWPs remain largely unknown, underscoring the need
in water characteristics make water quality assessment for a comprehensive investigation. To address this gap
expensive, labor-intensive, and complex. Researchers and improve public health outcomes for marginalized
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continue to face issues in streamlining assessment communities, this study aims to evaluate the efficiency
methodologies while ensuring scientific accuracy and of treatment plants, calculate the WQI for both treated
reliability. 16 and PWP water, identify key pollutants in the water
Drinking water quality has been evaluated using a supply network, and assess health risks associated with
range of assessment methodologies, such as treatment heavy metals in PWP water. This research contributes
efficiency metrics, water quality index (WQI), Nemerow to scientific understanding by integrating multiple
pollution index (NPI), and hazard quotient (HQ). Desye assessment methodologies while also offering practical

Volume 22 Issue 1 (2025) 68 doi: 10.36922/ajwep.8163