The Government of Nepal has set a national target for 

providing a basic level of water services and access to 

improved sanitation for all by the end of 2017 (100% of 

the total population, which is 22.6 million according 

to 2011 census). As per government estimates, as of 

now, 85% of the total population has access to basic 

water supply services and 62% has access to basic 

sanitation facilities (access to toilets). Nepal has already 

achieved the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 

targets for water supply (73%) and is making progress 

to the MDG target for sanitation. However, there are 

a lot of challenges for sustaining these achievements 

and making water services and sanitation facilities 

available to the remaining portion of the population or 

currently unreached people. Some major challenges 

are attributed to the lack of adequate resources 

(financial and human resources), lack of appropriate and 

affordable technologies, and lack of energy (although 

there is huge potential for hydropower and only a very 

negligible part has been utilized).

There are an estimated 40,000 water supply schemes 

of various types: rural, semi-urban and urban; gravity 

flow, pumping and combination of both; and large, 

medium and small scale. Most of the rural and semi–

urban water schemes are operated and managed by 

Water Users and Sanitation Committee (WUSC) – a 

kind of community based organization formed by the 

consumers themselves, whereas the urban schemes 

are operated by a water utility such as Nepal Water 

Supply Corporation (NWSC), a semi-government agency. 

Water supply in the capital city of Kathmandu is led by 

Upatyaka Khanepani Limited – an example of a public 

private partnership.

The Melamchi Water Supply Project is the national 

priority project in the water and sanitation sector that 

transfers water from the Indra wati river basin to the 

Bagmati river basin to quench the thirst of Kathmanduits. 

The Bagmati Area Physical Infrastructure Project is 

another large project that aims to clean and save the 

Bagmati River and its tributaries in the Kathmandu 

Valley. Rural water supply projects are implemented 

with community contributions – 20% of the total cost 

and tariffs are calculated on the basis of the scheme’s 

operating and maintenance costs, whereas for urban 

and semi-urban water supply projects, tariffs are based 

on the cost recovery principle too. From this fiscal 

year, new construction or rehabilitation of existing 

water supply schemes are being implemented with the 

principle of co-financing – 30% by water users and 70% 

by the government.

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See more at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/glaas/2014/nepal-10-nov.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiy56rGl87lAhWSV30KHXEADKQQFjANegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw3K8LUUg8cxftTj41Aozcny