Carrier of diseases

The monsoon season has once again brought alarming news regarding drinking water safety in Nepal, particularly in the capital. Recent government tests have confirmed the presence of hazardous faecal coliform and E. coli in every drinking water sample collected from households and public taps across five locations in the Kathmandu Valley. This widespread contamination suggests that sewage is infiltrating the water supply, posing a significant public health risk.

This situation is particularly disturbing given that similar tests in previous years have detected these harmful microbes in tap water, and even in bottled and jarred water. Despite these recurring findings, little seems to have been done to ensure the safety of the water people consume. Nepal claims that approximately 95 percent of its population has access to basic drinking water. However, a recent survey by the Nepal Multiple Indicator Survey (MICS) 2024-25 revealed a stark contradiction: 60 percent of the water people drink is contaminated with E. coli and other harmful microbes.

This discrepancy exposes a culture of measuring success solely by the breadth of infrastructure distribution, rather than by the quality and safety of the water provided. Many water pipes and taps are aging, leaking, or installed near sewer lines, compromising the water's potability. Furthermore, water resources like rivers, streams, and springs are increasingly becoming dumping sites for waste from hospitals, households, and companies, exacerbating the pollution problem.

When reports of contamination surface, officials typically instruct water suppliers to chlorinate water and conduct regular tests. Instead of repairing the deteriorating water supply infrastructure, the responsibility is often shifted to citizens, who are advised to boil water, buy filters, or purchase bottled water, options that are not feasible for everyone. Consequently, many continue to consume contaminated tap water, suffering from waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis A and E, with severe cases leading to fatalities. The sense of urgency surrounding water safety dissipates quickly after the monsoon ends, and with it, efforts towards repairs and monitoring. The same problems inevitably recur year after year. Officials should cease blaming monsoon rains as the primary culprit; the rains merely expose their failure to guarantee access to safe drinking water, a fundamental right and a basic government responsibility. Improved planning, robust infrastructure, and consistent maintenance of leaking pipes are crucial. Water suppliers must also be held accountable for public health and adhere to national drinking water standards, necessitating the hiring and deployment of more water quality inspectors nationwide.