KATHMANDU: Fifty-five drinking water projects in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Gorkha have been affected by the devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on August 26.
According to preliminary assessments, the flood has caused damage estimated at around Rs 640 million to the projects.
According to the Department of Drinking Water and Sewerage Management, 22 drinking water projects in Nuwakot, the district most affected by the flood, have been damaged. The department estimates the damage to these projects alone at Rs 41.15 million.
According to Kamal Raj Shrestha, director general of the department, 20 projects in Dhading, five in Gorkha and eight in Rasuwa have also been damaged by the flood. The department said the process of collecting detailed information on the extent of the damage is still underway.
The department has introduced short- and long-term plans to ensure an immediate drinking water supply in areas where services have been disrupted by the flood. Director General Shrestha said priority has been given to restoring services and repairing damaged structures while using alternative water sources in the affected areas.
A 100 KVA diesel generator has been brought into operation to facilitate drinking water distribution, particularly in areas served by the Bidur Drinking Water Project. The department said arrangements have been made to distribute around 500,000 liters of drinking water daily through the generator.
Similarly, seven pumps with a capacity of one horsepower each have been put into operation, restoring drinking water services to around 500 households in the Battar area. Shrestha said drinking water has been distributed to various settlements in Bidur and Battar through four tankers, in coordination with Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL).
The department said necessary materials have also been arranged to expand drinking water services in flood-affected areas, including Trishuli Bazaar, Belkotgadhi, Kolputar, Galchhi, Gajuri and the remaining areas of Bidur. For service expansion, 14 pumps with capacities of two horsepower and one horsepower, a 1,000-liter Hilltec tank and around 41.1 kilometers of HDPE pipes have been kept ready.
According to the department, preparations are underway to transport and install these materials in the affected areas and expand drinking water services. A technical team has been continuously mobilized to repair and restore structures damaged by the flood and ensure regular drinking water supplies to affected settlements.
The department said long-term rehabilitation work is being carried out alongside immediate relief measures to prevent drinking water shortages following the flood. Further reconstruction and rehabilitation programs will be launched based on the needs identified after a comprehensive assessment of the damage is completed.
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