Impacts of waste dumping on canal water quality and community livelihoods in coastal Bangladesh

The canals in Dumki Upazila of Patuakhali district in Bangladesh are experiencing severe water contamination problems attributable to various human activities. This study aims to assess water quality and identify the major contaminants that affect the ecosystems of the canal. The physicochemical parameters, including dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), and electrical conductivity (EC), exceeds the permissible limits, indicating severe pollution and has negative impacts on the canal ecosystems. Moreover, dialogues with community residents and the responsible authorities identified untreated industrial effluents, domestic trash, and agricultural runoff as the major sources of contamination in the canal water. The expansion of the canal along with the uncontrolled disposal of garbage has exacerbated the environmental and social problems in the study area. The results demonstrate that the canal's water quality is insufficient for sustaining aquatic life and is unsafe for human consumption, thereby posing health hazards to the local community. Given these results, it is prudent to take immediate measures to reduce pollution levels of this important canal in Bangladesh.