Unpacking inequalities in rural access to Nepal’s safely managed water services

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Water users inspecting a water structure in Dungeshwor RM, Dailekh, Nepal.

Water users visiting their water scheme structures for scheme functionality and water quality vulnerability assessment, Dailekh District, Nepal. (Min Prasad Basnet, SNV Nepal)

 

This group is inspecting a water scheme structure in the rural municipality of Dungeshwor in Dailekh, Nepal. They know that what happens on the surface matters underground. Through these kinds of inspections, the functionality and water quality vulnerability of the structures is assessed.

 

Supported by Australia, Water for Women partner SNV Netherlands Development Organisation is working with communities and governments in the districts of Dailekh and Sarlahi in Nepal to improve the performance of rural water supply implementers (construction of schemes) and operators of water supply services, to provide gender and socially inclusive, resilient, and sustainable water supply services. This is part of their project Beyond the Finish Line: Inclusive and sustainable rural water supply services in Nepal 

 

Although Nepal is one of the most water rich countries in the world, in terms of rainfall and access to fresh water from sources like snow caps, rivers systems and aquifers, groundwater plays an important role in the lives and livelihoods of most of the population, which is largely reliant on the agricultural sector.

 

In the hilly Dailekh district, most households get their water supply from springs, some of which are recharged by connected groundwater systems. In lower-lying Sarlahi to the south-east, groundwater is a staple, with most households relying on tubewells equipped with motorised or hand-pumps for their daily water supplies.1

 

Read more from SNV's and UTS-ISF's Learning Brief

Unpacking inequalities in rural access to Nepal’s safely managed water services

 

What we do on the surface matters underground - in many places, human activities over-use and contaminate groundwater. Safely managed water and sanitation services plays an important role in protecting groundwater.

 

‘As more people all over the world gain access to a toilet that is not connected to a sewerage system, it is critical to ensure proper containment of human waste to minimise the threat of groundwater contamination. In making the invisible groundwater visible, it is important to also unpeel the layers of invisibility that lead to groundwater contamination – this includes poorly designed, constructed, and operated onsite sanitation facilities,’ explain IRC and SNV in their newly released blog.

 

 

  1. [202110-snv-nepal-inequalities-rural-access-safe-water-svcs.pdf (uts.edu.au)]

 

This World Water Day, we are highlighting the importance of groundwater and WASH.

 

Safely managed and inclusive water and sanitation services and systems are integral to protecting groundwater from contamination, and also ensuring that access to these precious water sources is equitable and sustainable.

 

What we do on the surface matters underground - in many places, human activities over-use and contaminate groundwater. Safely managed water and sanitation services play an important role in protecting groundwater. Simultaneously, climate change is placing increasing demands and pressures on our freshwater resources.

 

And when it comes to making the invisible visible in communities, it is only through gender and social inclusion that we can ensure WASH services and systems are accessible and effective for everyone, more climate-resilient and sustainable. This is central to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 

 

In Asian and Pacific communities, Water for Women partners are delivering inclusive, accessible, sustainable and resilient WASH services and projects, and strengthening the support systems required to ensure the benefits are lasting, socially equitable and help to build resilient communities.

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