National 8 (Spotlight Weekly)

Look Before You Sip

A study reveals startling condition of contamination in drinking water in Kathmandu valley as it shows presence of contaminants in 60 percent of samples tested

By THAKUR AMGAI

Public taps : How safe are they?

While the officials at the Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) continue to claim that the drinking water available in Kathmandu is as per the WHO standard, a survey done by an NGO to test the quality of water has exposed that pathogens and other contaminants are present in water supplied to over 60 percent of places in the valley.

Out of the 54 samples collected from different places of Kathmandu, 31 samples were found to be contaminated with fecal coliforms - indicative bacteria for fecal contamination in water. The survey showed that water around Kalimati, Bhaktapur, Pulchowk and Patan were relatively less contaminated while water from New Road, Thamel, Gairidhara, Swayambhu, Kalanki, Bauddha, Pani Pokhari, and Battisputali were found to be very contaminated.

“Out of the total samples, 28 per cent are in the high risk and 2 percent in the very high risk category,” said Dr. Roshan Raj Shrestha, Executive Director of the Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO), an NGO.

The survey was conducted by the ENPHO with the help of other organization working in the field of environment. It collected samples from public taps and secondary pipelines so as to avoid misinformation because of contamination from other sources. The samples were collected beginning April 25.

The spread of diarrhea/cholera, which had started early last month, was suspected to have been triggered by contaminated water. The outbreak of diarrhea had prompted NWSC to increase chlorine amount (which it sprays in water reservoirs) and stop water supply through pipes where leakages were detected.

With the increased awareness among the people, the average rate of diarrhea patients has reduced to 40-50 a day on average as compared to 70-80 last week. However, there have been reports of more deaths from around the nation taking the death toll to almost two dozens. Likewise, more cholera cases have been detected in children in Kanti Children hospital.

The survey also shows that chlorine level was not adequate in most of the places. Only four out of the total samples had adequate chlorine amount, while two places had chlorine level more than that specified by the WHO.

Kaushal Nath Bhattarai, general manager of the NWSC, claims that the water which were found to be contaminated might have been collected from other sources or from the underground storage in residences. “The water from the NWSC supply is not contaminated. We have stopped the supply where contamination was detected,” he said. Bhattarai also added that none of the cholera and diarrhea patients reporting to the Teku hospital had caught the disease from the water supplied by the Corporation.

Narendra Man Pradhan, the Deputy GM at the NWSC, concedes that the water at some places might be contaminated due to inadequate amount of chlorine. “The chlorine amount could have been inadequate due to age-old distribution system,” he said at a press meet organized to make public the findings of the survey. He also said that it would be hard to maintain the quality of water unless there is 24 hours distribution of water.

“The main reason for contamination is the cross contamination,” said Shrestha. The water supply network of the valley is very old. It is more than a century old. The sewer pipes run along with the water pipes. The leakages are the main reason for contamination. There are not much problems at the sources of water.

The long-term solution to the problem is none other than the replacement of the current network of water supply. According to the NWSC, works have already started for the maintenance along with installing new networks. However, it is going to take a long time.

According to Dr. Shrestha, efficient leak detection, monitoring of contamination not only at the sources but also at various other places and chlorine boosting plants at places where necessary could provide the short-term solution to the problem.