It has been estimated that the total water demand of the Kathmandu Valley is about 220 million litres a day (MLD), while the total supply varies between 88 MLD (40% of demand) and 132 MLD (60%). However, the bitter fact also exist that as much as 35% of the water is being lost to leaks and theft. This shows the lack of management of one of the major resources.
In rural areas, the issue is more of under-exploitation of potential water sources due to the lack of resources - both financial and technical. Moreover, social exclusion and oppression of under-priviledged communities and ethnic minorities further hinder their access to availability of water resources in many villages. More importantly, they are unaware of the fact that access to safe d/w is their basic human right. There is also the misguided perception of considering water and sanitation as symptoms of poverty rather than drivers of poverty.
Water issue is a holistic approach that includes hydropower, irrigation, industrial and domestiv purposes and directly impacts on health, hygiene, environment, poverty and social exclusion. Thus, water (a major life surviving tool) should be managed and provided to the people through safe mode, without compromising the quality.
