Being a leading organization in the WatSan sector NGO Forum in order to ensure safe water supply has been striving towards mitigating the arsenic problem. Under the arsenic mitigation initiatives although the whole nation is considered but the Forum intensively focuses on those communities, who are greatly suffering due to high concentration of arsenic in groundwater.
As an experienced and well-equipped organization in the sector, NGO Forum places mitigation of arsenic contamination high on its agenda and regularly contributes to national efforts along with its partners and other stakeholders. |
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Under the arsenic mitigation NGO Forum has undertaken a diversified activities:
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Pre & post monsoon testing of tubewells with arsenic field-testing kits & laboratory facilities |
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Red-marking of the arsenic affected tubewells and green-marking of the safe tubewells |
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Selection of arsenic-free site for installation of new tubewells by arsenic testing |
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Providing of feasible alternative technologies for arsenic-free safe water supply |
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Awareness raising among people on the harm of arsenic contamination and motivating them to use arsenic-free water for drinking and cooking |
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Training of partner NGO staff on arsenic mitigation activities |
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Development & dissemination of IEC materials on arsenic issue |
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Conduction of different studies in the field of arsenic mitigation |
Water Quality Testing Laboratory
NGO Forum established an advanced Water Quality Testing Laboratory (WQTL) in 2000 with the financial assistance from Danida. The School of Environmental Studies of Jadavpur University in West Bengal India extended the technical assistance in setting up the laboratory.
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NGO Forum has put much emphasis on building up the capacity of its WQTL with the state-of-the-art quality equipment viz. Spectrophotometer, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and so on with a view to offering its services effectively. Besides, a qualified and trained, both from national and overseas level, technical team has been deputed in NGO Forum’s WQTL to operate and extend high water quality testing services.
The WQTL aims at providing prompt and quality services at a competitive price and its testing capacity is much higher than other laboratories. In a recent laboratory evaluation conducted by the local office of World Health Organization (WHO) in Bangladesh, NGO Forum’s WQTL has been pointed to one of the best laboratories in Bangladesh. |
Objective
Provide sustainable access to quality testing facilities for both drinking and wastewater to sectoral stakeholders ranging from the community to government and non-government organizations, international agencies and private sector actors at a competitive price.
Parameters of Water Quality
Samples Collection Procedure
For analyzing water quality NGO Forum suggested that the interested individuals/agencies should contact the WQTL directly or NGO Forum’s Regional Offices prior to the collection of water samples from the water options. NGO Forum’s WQTL usually provides containers, preservatives, iceboxes and detail guidelines to interested individual(s)/organization(s) on the procedures and techniques of sample collection and preservation.
Quality Control & Assurance
The WQTL follows a standard quality control procedure to monitor the validity of its tests and calibration. Taking into account the outcome data appropriate statistical techniques are applied to understand the trend and validity of its analysis. The test result are also crosschecked by comparative analysis with different national and international reference laboratories.
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For further details, please contact
Water Quality Testing Laboratory
NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply & Sanitation
3/11, Block-E, Lalmatia, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Telephone: 8154273-4, 8128258-9 (PABX)
8119599 (Direct), Fax: 880-2-8117924
E-mail: arsenic@ngof.org, ngof@bangla.net
or
NGO Forum Regional Offices
Barisal – 64699 (0431), Bogra – 63290 (051),
Comilla – 68786 (081), Chittagong – 670900 (031),
Dhaka – 8123584 (02), Dinajpur – 61113 (0531),
Faridpur – 64685 (0631), Jessore – 72931 (0421),
Khulna – 720249 (041), Mymensingh (53216 (091),
Rajshahi – 773523 (0721), Rangpur – 64456 (0521),
Sylhet – 760085 (0821), Tangail – 55539 (0921)
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