Drinking Water Resource Management and Use

The Gap between the Knowledge and Practice of Villagers and Development Agencies in Southwest Bangladesh

Abstract

This study used a field survey to investigate the difference between drinking water source maintenance and use by villagers and the requirements for drinking water facilities constructed by agencies in Southwest Bangladesh. This study was conducted because drinking water supply facilities are malfunctioning or have been abandoned due to the oversight of regional and local features of a target area. The field survey results indicated that the multipurpose use of ponds, which were sources of drinking water, and maintenance by a single household were regional and local features of drinking water use at the study site. However, organizations that installed the drinking water facilities intended that ponds should have a single purpose as drinking water facilities and should be maintained by a management committee comprising multiple households. The survey found that the background of this difference was a discrepancy between villagers and the institutions that constructed drinking water facilities, in terms of recognition of ownership and scarcity of water resources. The findings suggested that regional and local features of target areas were not fully considered when installing drinking water facilities and a solution from the perspective of others was required when working with volunteers.