News Summary
Reviewed and prepared.
- The September 25 floods severely damaged the water supply systems in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, cutting off water access to settlements including Battar Bazaar.
- In Vidur’s Battar Bazaar, over 5,500 households lost their water supply as the flood washed away 4 kilometers of pipelines, three boreholes, and other infrastructure.
- The Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management estimates preliminary damages exceed NPR 60 million, with 8 to 9 employees missing.
September 30, Kathmandu — The destructive floods on September 25 caused extensive damage to water supply systems in the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. Government agencies have yet to confirm exact figures regarding the damage or the number of people now lacking access to drinking water.
According to Kamalraj Shrestha, Director General of the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management, the most significant damage occurred to the water supply project feeding Battar Bazaar in Vidur Municipality, Nuwakot.
The water supply system managed by the Vidur Water and Sanitation Consumer Committee benefited over 5,500 households.
“This water supply was brought from Betravati via the roadway to Battar Bazaar,” Director General Shrestha explained. “All infrastructure along the road has sustained damage.”
This disruption has deprived many residents of essential water services. Additionally, with power outages caused by the floods, supplying water through alternative systems has been challenging, and emergency measures are currently underway in the affected areas.
A high-level team, including the Director General, remains actively engaged in studying water supply conditions and managing emergency responses in the flood-affected regions of Nuwakot and Rasuwa.
“All structures along riverbank settlements have been swept away, including water supply infrastructure,” he said. “Particularly, the water supply to Battar Bazaar has been severely impacted.”
Due to the ongoing weak electricity supply and power line damage in Nuwakot and Rasuwa, operating borehole pumps has been impossible, Director General Shrestha noted.
As a result, efforts to bring generators from Kathmandu to restore pumping systems have commenced. A 100 kVA capacity generator is now powering a pumping system with a capacity of 23 liters per second.
Meanwhile, Kathmandu Upatyaka Water Limited and private sector water tankers are distributing drinking water to shelters. These tankers are delivering water to locations such as Rahul Dhara.
Much of the settlements along the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli riverbanks in Rasuwa and Nuwakot were washed away by the floods, leaving no immediate demand for water in those areas.
However, challenges persist in providing clean drinking water and sanitation facilities like toilets in shelters housing flood-affected citizens. The department’s focus remains on addressing these issues.
According to Director General Shrestha, although water sources have not been severely affected due to the rainy season, the destruction of roads and bridges has disrupted water distribution. The department plans to prioritize repairs in Rasuwa’s damaged water supply areas accordingly.
Rajendra Aryal, president of the National Water Consumer Federation, highlighted that the headwater source of Vidur’s water supply is the Falakhun Khola (river). The 4-kilometer pipeline reaching this point has been damaged.
He added that the destruction of three boreholes in the Trishuli River has created a water crisis for Vidur, Battar, Inarpani, and Majhitar areas. Low voltage issues make drawing water from the Tali river inefficient for distribution.
Water Treatment Plant in Nuwakot Destroyed, Employees Missing
The Department was in the final construction phase of a water treatment plant in Nuwakot when floods struck. Eight to nine employees working at the site are now missing. Director General Shrestha stated, “Both the plant’s structures and the employees have been swept away, causing severe damage to the plant.”
Preliminary Damage Estimate Exceeds NPR 60 Million
The department’s preliminary estimate of damages to water supply systems in Rasuwa and Nuwakot exceeds NPR 60 million.
“This is only an initial estimate. While some sources remain intact, distribution systems have been completely destroyed. Restoration will require rebuilding roads and bridges alongside water infrastructure repair,” Director General Shrestha explained.
Water Shortage Compounds Sanitation Challenges
The Water Supply and Sanitation Department in Nuwakot began collecting data on disrupted water supply projects in areas affected by floods.
Engineer Kameshwar Das stated that over 30 major and minor water supply projects have been affected.
Director General Shrestha emphasized the department’s urgent efforts to restore damaged systems, warning that delays may exacerbate challenges related to clean water and sanitation.
Ministry of Infrastructure Assigned Restoration Responsibility
A cabinet meeting held on September 25 assigned the Ministry of Infrastructure Development the responsibility for managing restoration of roads and water supply systems disrupted by the floods.
Currently, the Ministry is advancing plans to install Bailey bridges and open alternative routes to facilitate transportation.
