Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh

Sadia Islam Mou; Hridita Sarkar; Sadhon Chandra Swarnokar; Salma Begum

doi:doi:10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16

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Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh

Sadia Islam Mou^*

, Hridita Sarkar, Sadhon Chandra Swarnokar

, Salma Begum

Published in Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science (Volume 14, Issue 6)

Received: 14 November 2025 Accepted: 4 December 2025 Published: 30 December 2025

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Abstract

Securing safe drinking water remains a pressing public health challenge in Bangladesh, where groundwater quality is increasingly undermined by a combination of natural factors and human-induced activities. This study examined the drinking water quality of two female residential halls such as Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujib (BBFM) Hall and Aparajita Hall (AP) at Khulna University over a six-month period. An integrated approach was applied, combining physico-chemical and microbial analyses with multivariate and risk assessment methods such as Pearson’s correlation, Water Quality Index (WQI), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Pollution Index of Groundwater (PIG), Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) and Chemical Health Risk Assessment. Physical analyses indicated neutral to slightly alkaline water, with moderate electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) reflecting natural geogenic influences. Chemical evaluation revealed a sodium-chloride-bicarbonate-dominated profile, while nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate remained within safe limits, though salinity indicators highlight potential long-term risks. Microbiological assessment detected total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli ) above World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds, indicating fecal contamination and immediate public health concerns. PCA and correlation analyses identified salinity, carbonate buffering, and phosphorus enrichment as key hydrochemical drivers, whereas the WQI ranged from 42.66 to 51.71, classifying most samples (except BBFM 4) as good. The PIG values (<1.0) indicated insignificant pollution. QMRA estimated annual infection probabilities of 12% to 44%, far above the WHO benchmark (≤10⁻⁴), underscoring cumulative exposure risks. Chemical health risk assessment confirmed no significant non-carcinogenic threat from nitrate or sodium intake. These results indicate that although the water is largely safe from a chemical standpoint, it carries considerable microbial health risks. Based on these findings, a comprehensive management approach is advised, incorporating immediate actions, short to mid-term interventions, and long-term infrastructural improvements, alongside the implementation of a Water Safety Plan (WSP) to ensure safe and sustainable drinking water in university residential facilities.

Published in	Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science (Volume 14, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16
Page(s)	229-248
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Drinking Water Quality, Microbial Contamination, Water Quality Index (WQI), Pollution Index of Groundwater (PIG), Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), Khulna University

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Mou, S. I., Sarkar, H., Swarnokar, S. C., Begum, S. (2025). Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh. Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science, 14(6), 229-248. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16

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Mou, S. I.; Sarkar, H.; Swarnokar, S. C.; Begum, S. Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh. J. Water Resour. Ocean Sci. 2025, 14(6), 229-248. doi: 10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16

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Mou SI, Sarkar H, Swarnokar SC, Begum S. Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh. J Water Resour Ocean Sci. 2025;14(6):229-248. doi: 10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16

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@article{10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16,
  author = {Sadia Islam Mou and Hridita Sarkar and Sadhon Chandra Swarnokar and Salma Begum},
  title = {Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh},
  journal = {Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science},
  volume = {14},
  number = {6},
  pages = {229-248},
  doi = {10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wros.20251406.16},
  abstract = {Securing safe drinking water remains a pressing public health challenge in Bangladesh, where groundwater quality is increasingly undermined by a combination of natural factors and human-induced activities. This study examined the drinking water quality of two female residential halls such as Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujib (BBFM) Hall and Aparajita Hall (AP) at Khulna University over a six-month period. An integrated approach was applied, combining physico-chemical and microbial analyses with multivariate and risk assessment methods such as Pearson’s correlation, Water Quality Index (WQI), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Pollution Index of Groundwater (PIG), Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) and Chemical Health Risk Assessment. Physical analyses indicated neutral to slightly alkaline water, with moderate electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) reflecting natural geogenic influences. Chemical evaluation revealed a sodium-chloride-bicarbonate-dominated profile, while nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate remained within safe limits, though salinity indicators highlight potential long-term risks. Microbiological assessment detected total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli ) above World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds, indicating fecal contamination and immediate public health concerns. PCA and correlation analyses identified salinity, carbonate buffering, and phosphorus enrichment as key hydrochemical drivers, whereas the WQI ranged from 42.66 to 51.71, classifying most samples (except BBFM 4) as good. The PIG values (<1.0) indicated insignificant pollution. QMRA estimated annual infection probabilities of 12% to 44%, far above the WHO benchmark (≤10⁻⁴), underscoring cumulative exposure risks. Chemical health risk assessment confirmed no significant non-carcinogenic threat from nitrate or sodium intake. These results indicate that although the water is largely safe from a chemical standpoint, it carries considerable microbial health risks. Based on these findings, a comprehensive management approach is advised, incorporating immediate actions, short to mid-term interventions, and long-term infrastructural improvements, alongside the implementation of a Water Safety Plan (WSP) to ensure safe and sustainable drinking water in university residential facilities.},
 year = {2025}
}

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T1  - Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh
AU  - Sadia Islam Mou
AU  - Hridita Sarkar
AU  - Sadhon Chandra Swarnokar
AU  - Salma Begum
Y1  - 2025/12/30
PY  - 2025
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DO  - 10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16
T2  - Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science
JF  - Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science
JO  - Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science
SP  - 229
EP  - 248
PB  - Science Publishing Group
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UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16
AB  - Securing safe drinking water remains a pressing public health challenge in Bangladesh, where groundwater quality is increasingly undermined by a combination of natural factors and human-induced activities. This study examined the drinking water quality of two female residential halls such as Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujib (BBFM) Hall and Aparajita Hall (AP) at Khulna University over a six-month period. An integrated approach was applied, combining physico-chemical and microbial analyses with multivariate and risk assessment methods such as Pearson’s correlation, Water Quality Index (WQI), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Pollution Index of Groundwater (PIG), Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) and Chemical Health Risk Assessment. Physical analyses indicated neutral to slightly alkaline water, with moderate electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) reflecting natural geogenic influences. Chemical evaluation revealed a sodium-chloride-bicarbonate-dominated profile, while nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate remained within safe limits, though salinity indicators highlight potential long-term risks. Microbiological assessment detected total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli ) above World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds, indicating fecal contamination and immediate public health concerns. PCA and correlation analyses identified salinity, carbonate buffering, and phosphorus enrichment as key hydrochemical drivers, whereas the WQI ranged from 42.66 to 51.71, classifying most samples (except BBFM 4) as good. The PIG values (<1.0) indicated insignificant pollution. QMRA estimated annual infection probabilities of 12% to 44%, far above the WHO benchmark (≤10⁻⁴), underscoring cumulative exposure risks. Chemical health risk assessment confirmed no significant non-carcinogenic threat from nitrate or sodium intake. These results indicate that although the water is largely safe from a chemical standpoint, it carries considerable microbial health risks. Based on these findings, a comprehensive management approach is advised, incorporating immediate actions, short to mid-term interventions, and long-term infrastructural improvements, alongside the implementation of a Water Safety Plan (WSP) to ensure safe and sustainable drinking water in university residential facilities.
VL  - 14
IS  - 6
ER  -

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Sadia Islam Mou

Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh

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http://orcid.org/0009-0000-1723-9796
Hridita Sarkar

Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh

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Sadhon Chandra Swarnokar

Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh

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http://orcid.org/0009-0005-4914-6259
Salma Begum

Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh

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http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1632-9938

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Mou, S. I., Sarkar, H., Swarnokar, S. C., Begum, S. (2025). Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh. Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science, 14(6), 229-248. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16

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Mou, S. I.; Sarkar, H.; Swarnokar, S. C.; Begum, S. Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh. J. Water Resour. Ocean Sci. 2025, 14(6), 229-248. doi: 10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16

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AMA Style

Mou SI, Sarkar H, Swarnokar SC, Begum S. Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh. J Water Resour Ocean Sci. 2025;14(6):229-248. doi: 10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16

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@article{10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16,
  author = {Sadia Islam Mou and Hridita Sarkar and Sadhon Chandra Swarnokar and Salma Begum},
  title = {Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh},
  journal = {Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science},
  volume = {14},
  number = {6},
  pages = {229-248},
  doi = {10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wros.20251406.16},
  abstract = {Securing safe drinking water remains a pressing public health challenge in Bangladesh, where groundwater quality is increasingly undermined by a combination of natural factors and human-induced activities. This study examined the drinking water quality of two female residential halls such as Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujib (BBFM) Hall and Aparajita Hall (AP) at Khulna University over a six-month period. An integrated approach was applied, combining physico-chemical and microbial analyses with multivariate and risk assessment methods such as Pearson’s correlation, Water Quality Index (WQI), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Pollution Index of Groundwater (PIG), Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) and Chemical Health Risk Assessment. Physical analyses indicated neutral to slightly alkaline water, with moderate electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) reflecting natural geogenic influences. Chemical evaluation revealed a sodium-chloride-bicarbonate-dominated profile, while nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate remained within safe limits, though salinity indicators highlight potential long-term risks. Microbiological assessment detected total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli ) above World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds, indicating fecal contamination and immediate public health concerns. PCA and correlation analyses identified salinity, carbonate buffering, and phosphorus enrichment as key hydrochemical drivers, whereas the WQI ranged from 42.66 to 51.71, classifying most samples (except BBFM 4) as good. The PIG values (<1.0) indicated insignificant pollution. QMRA estimated annual infection probabilities of 12% to 44%, far above the WHO benchmark (≤10⁻⁴), underscoring cumulative exposure risks. Chemical health risk assessment confirmed no significant non-carcinogenic threat from nitrate or sodium intake. These results indicate that although the water is largely safe from a chemical standpoint, it carries considerable microbial health risks. Based on these findings, a comprehensive management approach is advised, incorporating immediate actions, short to mid-term interventions, and long-term infrastructural improvements, alongside the implementation of a Water Safety Plan (WSP) to ensure safe and sustainable drinking water in university residential facilities.},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Groundwater-Fed Supply Systems: A Case Study of Female Residential Halls at Khulna University, Bangladesh
AU  - Sadia Islam Mou
AU  - Hridita Sarkar
AU  - Sadhon Chandra Swarnokar
AU  - Salma Begum
Y1  - 2025/12/30
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16
T2  - Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science
JF  - Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science
JO  - Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science
SP  - 229
EP  - 248
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7993
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wros.20251406.16
AB  - Securing safe drinking water remains a pressing public health challenge in Bangladesh, where groundwater quality is increasingly undermined by a combination of natural factors and human-induced activities. This study examined the drinking water quality of two female residential halls such as Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujib (BBFM) Hall and Aparajita Hall (AP) at Khulna University over a six-month period. An integrated approach was applied, combining physico-chemical and microbial analyses with multivariate and risk assessment methods such as Pearson’s correlation, Water Quality Index (WQI), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Pollution Index of Groundwater (PIG), Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) and Chemical Health Risk Assessment. Physical analyses indicated neutral to slightly alkaline water, with moderate electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) reflecting natural geogenic influences. Chemical evaluation revealed a sodium-chloride-bicarbonate-dominated profile, while nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate remained within safe limits, though salinity indicators highlight potential long-term risks. Microbiological assessment detected total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli ) above World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds, indicating fecal contamination and immediate public health concerns. PCA and correlation analyses identified salinity, carbonate buffering, and phosphorus enrichment as key hydrochemical drivers, whereas the WQI ranged from 42.66 to 51.71, classifying most samples (except BBFM 4) as good. The PIG values (<1.0) indicated insignificant pollution. QMRA estimated annual infection probabilities of 12% to 44%, far above the WHO benchmark (≤10⁻⁴), underscoring cumulative exposure risks. Chemical health risk assessment confirmed no significant non-carcinogenic threat from nitrate or sodium intake. These results indicate that although the water is largely safe from a chemical standpoint, it carries considerable microbial health risks. Based on these findings, a comprehensive management approach is advised, incorporating immediate actions, short to mid-term interventions, and long-term infrastructural improvements, alongside the implementation of a Water Safety Plan (WSP) to ensure safe and sustainable drinking water in university residential facilities.
VL  - 14
IS  - 6
ER  -

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