Agency: According to the research, in urban areas, testing of 13,640 water samples for E. coli, which signals fecal contamination, showed that only 52.8 percent met the national safety standard of zero bacteria per 100 milliliters
A recent study published by the Royal Centre for Disease Control (RCDC) has revealed that while access to clean and safe water is crucial for public health, ensuring its safety remains a persistent challenge in Bhutan.
The research, which was conducted between 2017 and 2024, analyzed over 35,000 water samples from urban and rural areas, drawing data from the Water Quality Monitoring Information System (WQMIS).
Urban areas included 31 health centers across 19 dzongkhags, with 20,982 samples, while rural areas included 242 health centers and 14,361 samples across 20 dzongkhags. The study compared results against the Bhutan Drinking Water Quality Standards (BDWQS) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
The report states, “The impacts of climate change, such as unpredictable weather patterns and drying of water sources, further affect the availability and reliability of water supplies.”
It found that rapid urbanization and development are also putting growing pressure on water resources, affecting both quality and quantity.
Globally, 2.2 billion people lack safely managed drinking water, and contaminated water remains a leading cause of diarrheal diseases, cholera, typhoid, and other infections, resulting in over 500,000 deaths annually, nearly half of them children under five.