Potable Water + Sanitation

Project Summary:

3.5 million Nepali people do not have access to clean water. We’re building critical water infrastructure in Nepal’s most remote areas to combat waterborne illness and food scarcity.

Why We Focus on Water

Clean water is core to any community’s success, yet:

  • 3.5 million people in Nepal do not have access to basic water services
  • 71% of all water sources and 91% of those used by the poorest quintile of the population are contaminated
    with E. Coli bacteria
  • Only 25% of the water supply is fully functioning

 

This lack of potable water, adequate sanitation and hygiene is responsible for the exceptional rate of waterborne disease in rural Nepal and is a leading cause of death among children under the age of five.

Project Status: In Progress

Our first focus was the village of Gopheghari. Drought and unstable weather patterns made water even more scarce for the indigenous Chepang tribe, which faces abnormally high rates of waterborne illness and childhood mortality.

We identified a spring source 180 vertical meters and 480 lateral meters from the village. To pipe and distribute the water from the spring, we constructed a pipe and large reservoir tanks, in addition to installing a submersible pump. Because the pump needed power, we tied the village into the main grid with a new transformer, 25 electrical poles, and 7 kilometers of wire.

As of May 2022, Gopeghari has access to clean water and electricity for the first time in its history! Watch the video below to see how local residents are enjoying this resource.

In order to make this vision reality, we worked closely with the local government, federal government ministries, the village residents, a private hydroengineering company and the Nepal Electrical Authority. Each party played a key role in the success of this project and laid the foundation for future outreach. 

Gopeghari is the first of five villages that we’re focusing on in this region of Nepal. Thankfully, we have a proven system to bring water and electricity to the other four, but we can’t do it alone! We need your support to make this possible.

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