4th International Conference on Rain Water Cistern Systems
Manila , Philipines - August, 1989

Section C: Socio-Economic And Political Concerns

Paper C.1

Rainwater Use In Bangladesh– A Case Study In Dacope Upozilla

Md. Daulat Hussain and A.T.M. Ziauddin
Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh

Abstract

This study describes the present system of rainwater collection and storage facilities, the socio-cultural and economic aspects of rainwater use.

During the months of October to November, 1587, a three--week case study on rainwater use was conducted in Dacope, Khulna, a coastal region of Bangladesh. Since the area is located very close to the Say of Bengal, both ground and surface water contain undesirable level of salinity. Drinking water was an acute problem in the area. Normally, people of Dacope use water from pond, canal/ditch, river, tubewell or rainwater, depending on the availability. The study reveals the fact that a large number of people of the area has been drinking rainwater. People drink rainwater in the rainy season. But in the off-season they hardly drink rainwater because of lack of proper storage facilities. Roof discharge was a common method of rainwater collection. Gutters made of G.I. sheet, bamboo, betel nut tree and bark of banana tree had been used widely for rainwater collection. People store rain water in large earthen vessel. They periodically maintain the quality of stored rainwater using burnt snail shell.

The survey also indicated that about 75% of rainwater consumers preferred to have large storage facility although most of them could not afford it. Cost of rainwater collection was found to be Tk 0.29 per litre, which was the lowest among all water sources. An appropriate rainwater, storage facility may solve drinking water problem in the area.

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