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Throwing the Baby out with the Drinking Water: Unintended Consequences of Arsenic Mitigation Efforts in Bangladesh

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  • Nina Buchmann
  • Erica M. Field
  • Rachel Glennerster
  • Reshmaan N. Hussam

Abstract

The 1994 discovery of arsenic in groundwater in Bangladesh prompted a massive public health campaign that led 20% of the population to switch from backyard wells to less convenient drinking water sources that had a higher risk of fecal contamination. We find evidence of unintended health consequences by comparing mortality trends between households in the same village that did and did not have an incentive to abandon shallow tubewells. Post-campaign, households encouraged to switch water sources have 46% higher rates of child mortality than those not encouraged to switch. Switching away from arsenic-contaminated wells also increased adult mortality.

Suggested Citation

  • Nina Buchmann & Erica M. Field & Rachel Glennerster & Reshmaan N. Hussam, 2019. "Throwing the Baby out with the Drinking Water: Unintended Consequences of Arsenic Mitigation Efforts in Bangladesh," NBER Working Papers 25729, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25729
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    1. Madajewicz, Malgosia & Pfaff, Alexander & van Geen, Alexander & Graziano, Joseph & Hussein, Iftikhar & Momotaj, Hasina & Sylvi, Roksana & Ahsan, Habibul, 2007. "Can information alone change behavior? Response to arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 731-754, November.
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    1. Varun Goel & Griffin J. Bell & Sumati Sridhar & Md. Sirajul Islam & Md. Yunus & Md. Taslim Ali & Md. Alfazal Khan & Md. Nurul Alam & ASG Faruque & Md. Masnoon Kabir & Shahabuddin Babu & Katerina Brand, 2020. "Considering Alternate Pathways of Drinking-Water Contamination: Evidence of Risk Substitution from Arsenic Mitigation Programs in Rural Bangladesh," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-12, July.
    2. Sayli Javadekar & Kritika Saxena, 2021. "The Seen and the Unseen: Impact of a Conditional Cash Transfer Program on Prenatal Sex Selection," IHEID Working Papers 15-2021, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies.
    3. Chowdhury, Shyamal & Singh, Prachi, 2023. "Information Campaign on Arsenic Poisoning: Unintended Consequences in Marriage Market," IZA Discussion Papers 16214, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Ahamad, Mazbahul G & Tanin, Fahian, 2020. "Mental Model Based Repeated Multifaceted (MRM) Intervention Design: A Conceptual Framework for Improving Preventive Health Behaviors and Outcomes," SocArXiv 8bgqx, Center for Open Science.
    5. Xuecun Zhao & Yanrong Liu, 2022. "Effects of housing demolition on labor supply: Evidence from China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 1663-1692, August.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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