Domestic Water Filtration Technologies in Bangladesh: Challenges, Innovations and Socio-cultural Dimensions

Abstract

Safe and hygienic drinking water remains a crucial public health concern in Bangladesh, with mass contamination by arsenic, microbial pollutants, industrial effluents and salinity affecting millions of people. While various efforts by the government and non-government agencies have been ongoing to combat this situation, regular and reliable water filtration systems are yet to gain mass popularity, especially in rural and coastal regions. This systematic review evaluates the current status of water treatment technologies adopted in Bangladesh in terms of their technical effectiveness, long-term sustainability and socio-cultural acceptability. Among the 87 identified publications, 25 were included, of which 16 were peer-reviewed articles from journals. The technologies under consideration are simple traditional techniques such as cloth and SONO filters and more recent techniques such as microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO). Findings indicate that while basic filters are available and well-known in communities, they have poor contaminant removal. More advanced systems are indicated to be of high efficiency but are undercut by high cost, difficulty in maintaining them and poor local uptake. Socio-cultural settings and particularly women's roles in household water management are crucial to technology adoption and sustained use. The review emphasizes the need for locally-formulated, multi-functional solutions that are based on community engagement, user education and integrated policy guidelines. It is suggested that technological creativity be synchronized with local contexts to render safe drinking water equitable and sustainable in Bangladesh.