Water security assessment of a peri-urban area: a study in Singair Upazila of Manikganj district of Bangladesh

Abstract

Water is one of the most important natural resources, which is essential to ensure a sustainable life on the planet. Water security for everyone is a prerequisite for an area’s economic growth, social stability, and environmental sustainability. The peri-urban area is a transition zone with water insecurity in a severe manner. This study has assessed the condition of water security of six unions with peri-urban characteristics of Singair Upazila of Manikganj District of Bangladesh through conducting a total of 182 household surveys, 6 Focus Group Discussions, and 12 Key Informant Interviews. Singair Upazila has experienced mixed land use, industrial growth, infrastructural development, and transformation of economic activities. Here, water security is derived not only from the availability and accessibility of water sources, but also socioeconomic factors. Water security index has been calculated by aggregating the considered values of associated indicators and sub-indicators. Obtained water security index varies from dissatisfaction to highly satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 5. The results show that Saista scored the lowest and marked dissatisfaction among the six unions, while Jamsha scored highest with the highly satisfactory water security status. The study opts to mention that cooperation and partnership development among significant stakeholders, i.e., local people, policymakers, and non-government organizations, can enhance the water security systems in similar peri-urban settings.