Getting clean water to the hills of Nepal in 10 steps

In partnership with UK Aid, we continue to provide access to clean water in Nepal

…as well as sanitation education to help create a better life for those living in remote communities.

Since we started providing clean water to communities in Nepal back in 1989, we have built over 2,000 water projects, benefitting over 350,000 people.

Given the mountainous terrain of Nepal, getting clean water directly from the source to the homes of needy communities is often a difficult process. We break down the 10 steps that we take in order to build and maintain access to clean water:

Step 1. Assessing the villages

We begin by visiting potential villages to assess their needs and test logistics regarding the water provision.

Our team assess clean water sources at Parewadin village located in Chhathar Jorpati rural municipality in Dhankuta district, Nepal.

Step 2. Collecting information about the communities

We collect data such as how many people live in the village, and how many of them are women and children – who are likely to be the ones undertaking long daily journeys to collect water.

We travel to the villages to find out who we’re helping.

Step 3. Empowering communities

We set up a village committee, to include a Chairperson, Secretary and a Village Hygiene Worker. Forming these committees empowers the community themselves to take responsibility of the project, which ensures its sustainability into the future.

A village committee meeting in Dhading, Nepal.

Step 4. Sanitation education

We visit the village to provide them with education on sanitation to keep the water source free of contamination and prevent the spread of disease within the community.

Our sanitation education includes hand washing techniques.

Step 5. Designing the scheme

Often a difficult task (considering Nepal’s terrain and weather), we design how we’re going to get the water from the source to the villagers’ taps.

An example of the difficult terrain our staff navigate to get clean water to the villages. (Photograph taken in Dhading, Nepal).

Step 6. Approval from the community

A Memorandum of Understanding is signed with the village water committee to agree all of the Ts and Cs.

A village committee meeting in Kaski, Nepal.

Step 7. Gathering materials

We collect the appropriate materials necessary to build the project.

A member of the team checks if there’s enough pipes for the tanks and tap stands. (Samari village, Nuwakot District, Bagmati Zone, Nepal).

Step 8. Building the structure

We start building the tanks and tap stands, which takes us between three and four months. We avoid building anything during the monsoon season, which usually falls between June and September.

Building the main tank at Samari village, Nuwakot District, Bagmati Zone, Nepal.

Step 9. Handover

Once construction is completed and safety checks have been made it’s time for the community to start enjoying their clean water. We ensure that our tap stands are located at the homes of those who need it, so they no longer have to walk for hours to collect water.

We installed 24 tap stands at Khilbuchha village, Dhading District, Nepal earlier this year. The project benefitted 114 people.

Step 10. Revisiting the villages

We continue to monitor the safety and sanitation of the project, and find out how it is affecting the lives of those involved.

Revisiting the community at Simkhadagaun, Dhading, Nepal.

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