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The World Water Organization

Ten most salient points water in nepal1.Nepal has been identified as the 14th poorest country in the world.

2. It is estimated that 15,000 children die each year due to diarrheal diseases caused by poorenvironmental sanitation and lack of access to quality water supply (Nepals Department of

Water Supply and Sewerage).

3. Although much of the urban population has access to a water source, there is still a huge

shortage. Kathmandu has a demand for 200 million liters daily, but the government reports only

being able to supply 160 million liters.

4. There is no national standard for water quality. Water supplied in Kathmandu is tainted with

dangerous levels of chemicals, viruses and bacteria, and some estimate that only 27% of

residents in the capital have access to clean, safe water.

5. Toxic levels of arsenic have been detected in the water in the Terai region, which can lead to

diarrhea, vomiting, partial paralysis and blindness.

6. The National Water Plan for Nepal reports that the number of absolute poor has almost

doubled in the last 20 years.

7. 6025 people died between 1983 and 2001 due to floods and landslides in Nepal.

8. Groundwater is being rapidly depleted. According to the Nepalese government, the water level

is falling by 2.5 meters annually.

9. Climate change is reducing water availability within Nepal. Erratic rainfall, less rain during

monsoon season and drought result in less water being stored.

10. It is reported that three quarters of Himalayan glaciers could disappear by 2030, leading to

more floods and drought for the 500 million people who rely on Nepals rivers in India and

Bangladesh (Department for International Development).

Population: 28,563,377 (July 2009 est.)

%W/O access to water: Urban: 17%

Rural: 29%

Per Capita: 375 cubic meters per year

Existing water collection/extraction infracture :

Piped water is considered a safe water source but only 14% have access in their homes, 30% outside

their homes. 37% rely on a covered well, 5% on an open well, and 14% on rivers, streams and ponds.

(WHO Nepal Health Profile).

Kathmandus pipeline system is 100 years old. 38% are reported to be leaking, and repair is difficult due

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to limited funds.

Water is piped to tap stands in many locations, thereby reducing the need to carry and transport large

quantities of water. Some projects include the education of local people on the maintenance of these

public taps.

Many tube wells exist though arsenic has been found in many, particularly in the Terai region.

Collection/carrying hours

There is no clear statistic on this, though sporadic commentaries report lines at tap stands etc.

In the Amargadi Municipality 200 families share 1 tap, requiring people to queue from 4am to get a jar

of drinking water. (The Himalayan)

Within Kathmandu, children stand in queues for hours to collect water from a public tap, and a large

number of residents in the capital have reported that their taps have been dry for months.

Local government activities addressing water issued

The Government of Nepal began formulating the Water Resources Strategy in 1996 which was approved

in 2002. The main goal identified was to improve the living standards of Nepalese people in a

sustainable manner. In order to implement the goals identified in the Water Resources Strategy, the

government formed the National Water Plan, which was approved in 2005.

The National Water Plan established short- (5 year), medium- (15 year) and long-term (25 year) plans for

various aspects of the water sector, including agriculture, sanitation, environmental sustainability, and

drinking water issues. The short-term goal for drinking water was to ensure 85% of the total population

has access to water supply by 2007. It appears that this goal has almost been met although there is no

systemic water quality monitoring nationwide. The short-term goal for sanitation was to ensure 50% of

the population has basic sanitation facilities by 2007, which has not been met.

Government Water Ministry

The Ministry of Water Resources

http://www.mowr.gov.np/The Ministry is divided into two departments, the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Irrigation.

Ministry of Irrigation

Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal

Tel: 977-1-4211426

Fax: 977-1-4200026

Email: info@moir.gov.np

Web:http://www.moir.gov.np

international activities addressing water issued

There are numerous international organizations involved in Nepals many water and sanitation issues.

Some projects include:

The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) exists under a mandate from the UN.

They developed the Water and Sanitation for All (WASH) campaign, which is run by Nepals WASH

coalition. The coalition includes Nepals government, NGOs and other agencies, and has the main aim of

improving sanitation conditions.

The international NGO WaterAid began working in Nepal in 1986, and has provided freshwater and

http://www.mowr.gov.np/http://www.mowr.gov.np/http://www.moir.gov.np/http://www.moir.gov.np/http://www.moir.gov.np/http://www.moir.gov.np/http://www.mowr.gov.np/

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sanitation to an additional 3% of the total rural population. WaterAid has also installed arsenic detection

and mitigation methods in the Terai region, where arsenic was found in 17% of wells.

The U.K.s Department for International Development (DFID) has invested 14 million pounds, building

over 800 rural water and sanitation schemes, estimated to benefit 160,000 people. DFID are working on

approximately 160 new schemes, which will reach an additional 33,000 people in rural areas.

Water disputes

All the rivers of Nepal drain into the Ganges system. The waters of the Ganges Basin are shared by

Nepal, Bangladesh, China and India. This river basin is home to 500 million people in one of the poorest

regions in the world. Although there are currently no water disputes with Nepal, pollution, flooding and

river channel changes can affect this region dramatically, increasing potential for disputes.

Existing treaties/ agreementsThere are at least three bilateral treaties with India that involve three major rivers.

1. The Kosi Treaty (1954) -http://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/koshi_treaty.pdf

This specifies that no construction shall be undertaken along this river by India without consultationwith Nepal.

2. The Gandak Treaty (1959) -http://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/gandak_treaty.pdf

This details various projects along the Gandak river which flows into India, paid for by the Government

of India.

3. The Mahakali Treaty (1996) -http://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/mahakali_treaty.pdf

This details the rights that Nepal and India have to the shared Mahakali River.

However, implementation of the Mahakali Treaty has proven problematic and talks continue 14 years

after the treaty was formed.

Specific water needsDrinking Water

WaterAid Nepal (2004) estimated an additional 11,300 households still need clean water service and

proper sanitation between 2000 and 2015 to achieve the drinking water target. To achieve this would

cost an additional USD $23 million on top of the USD$755 million allocated in the available resources

budget for 2000-2015 (bringing the estimated cost to USD $1,087 million).

Although WaterAid has improved conditions in Terai, there remains a water quality problem due to poor

design of underground tubes in wells. Improved water treatment is unaffordable as pipelines are

scattered throughout the country, and landslides and extensive erosion within the hills have damaged

transmission and distribution systems.Water supply and sanitation levels in districts such as Rukum and Jajarkot fall well below the national

average. Only 46% have a supply of drinking water while only 23% have toilets.

It has been reported that a large percentage of Nepals drinking water contains fecal coliforms,

demonstrating the urgent need for dramatic improvement in the water quality and for the

establishment of national standards for safe potable water (International Water and Sanitation Centre).

Funding is required for basic maintenance of pipes and tap stands. This will help reduce the major

shortages seen even within Kathmandu.

http://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/koshi_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/koshi_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/koshi_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/gandak_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/gandak_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/gandak_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/mahakali_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/mahakali_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/mahakali_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/mahakali_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/gandak_treaty.pdfhttp://www.moir.gov.np/pdf_files/koshi_treaty.pdf

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Agriculture

The National Water Plan recognizes the need for the expansion of irrigated agriculture in order to meet

the food security requirements of the country.

Only approximately one-third of irrigable land has year round irrigation, limiting production significantly.

Agriculture production in 2003 was 7.2 million tons which only just met the minimum requirement for

Nepals edible grains.

Sanitation

Sanitation facilities increased by 17% between 1996 and 2004, but there is still a major need for

improved sanitation facilities, particularly in rural regions.

Human waste continues to contaminate water sources in dense areas of rapid population growth.

Inadequate education of the environmental hazard of this activity remains a significant problem.

A 1996 study by UNICEF and the National Planning Commission found that a major reason for not having

a latrine included 66% having no perceived need.

It has been estimated that 14 million people (approx 50%) practice open defecation in Nepal.

ChallengesEconomic

Nepals annual GDP is USD $31.39 billion.

The National Water Plan estimates that the total cost of water supply and sanitation programs will be

231,358 million Nepal Rupees approximately USD$3,161 million.

Political

The government of Nepal had been unstable for many years due to a coup, civil war, and the recent

abolition of the monarchy. Nepal was declared a Federal Democratic Republic in 2008.