Abstract:
Rapid urbanization and economic progress throughout Asia have the unintended consequence of causing river pollution through the release of untreated sewage and industrial effluent. We developed a direct observation method to document people’s everyday activities along rivers during both dry and rainy seasons. This method supplemented by monthly monitoring of river water quality, heavy metal and biotoxicity evaluation and other data to better understand the socio-spatial and seasonal inequalities in pollution risks. A comprehensive survey conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh, along a 25 kilometer stretch of the Turag River. Heavy metals from the yearly Bishwa Ijtema gathering and downstream industrial zones further aggravated and nearly nonexistent dissolved oxygen levels that we discovered during the low flow season. Throughout the year, there was a constant risk of pollution exposure from household activities, especially for women and girls living in low-income areas without proper access to water and sanitation. Men and children were most likely to swim during the monsoon, which increased their chance of contracting infections. An understanding of the socio-economic disparities at risk can help with the planning and implementation of policy that combines long-term mitigation with short- term adaptation.
