Health Impact as Free-Rider Issue of Water Consumption and Sewage Water Disposal: A Case Study

Abstract

People migrate towards urban regions seeking employment opportunities by way of industrialization, thereby, availing modernization,better education and healthcare facilities. This causes rapid urbanization of many mushrooming small towns in our country. The positive results of urbanization viz., economic development and higher GDP are counterbalanced by the negative externalities created in the urban ecosystem. Urban centers are confronted with a host of environmental problems such as contamination of potable water, air pollution, noise pollution, automobile pollution, solid waste and sewage water disposal. Both domestic water consumption and sewage water disposal are selected for special consideration as it has direct bearing on human health however has received very little attention. In this backdrop, the present paper is addressing issues like domestic water consumption, quantity disposal of waste water, transpiring diseases and costs of treatment. An intensive field survey was conducted to estimate loss of opportunity cost. The multistage sampling methods were applied in order to chosen 140 households. It is concludes that the provision drinking water and availability of drainage facilities are weakened in peripheral part which were associated with high health treatment cost. Slum in central part, even though proximity of availing the facility is closer, the socially and economically vulnerable groups are deprived this basic facility.