Abstract The present study investigated associations between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) factors and fatal and non-fatal drowning events in Bangladesh. Here, we report findings from a large household survey (89,700) conducted in Barisal Division of Bangladesh. Univariate analyses showed that the use of surface water rather than piped water was associated with an increased risk of both fatal and non-fatal drowning events. Additionally, increased risk of non-fatal drowning events was associated with shared toilet facilities, lack of toilet facilities and non-cemented flooring such as bamboo and wood. The WASH measures reduce the need to access exposure to open water, thus reducing drowning events.