Kathmandu: The Department of Drinking Water and Sewage Management has initiated a comprehensive process to gather information on the damage inflicted upon drinking water and sanitation systems nationwide. This damage is attributed to the recent floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the department has issued a circular to its Drinking Water and Sewerage Management Offices across all seven provinces. The directive instructs these offices to report on the extent of the damage. Currently, there are 15 such offices under the department, and they have been tasked with collecting and forwarding the details of the damage to the central department, as shared by Director General Kamal Raj Shrestha.
The department plans to devise both immediate relief and long-term rehabilitation strategies based on the received reports. Collecting these details is vital for identifying affected areas, assessing the type of damage, estimating costs, and prioritizing rehabilitation efforts.
The heavy rains on October 3 and 4 significantly impacted many drinking water sources and distribution systems, particularly in the hilly and steep terrains. The issues reported include pipelines being washed away, damage to intake structures, reservoir tanks buried under mud and stones, submerged motor pumps, and damaged sanitation equipment.
Last year, during the same period of incessant rains and landslides, the Ministry of Water Supply reported that the drinking water and sanitation sector suffered damages exceeding Rs. 4 billion.