WaterAid has worked in Nepal since 1986, continuing through periods of political instability and conflict, to help poor people gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

Although it is estimated that most people in Nepal have access to water, in highland areas distances to water sources can be great. The lowland Terai wells are often highly polluted and the quality of water is affected by the presence of arsenic in many areas. Over half of the population does not have access to sanitation, spreading disease through unhygienic living environments.

WaterAid's work in Nepal is focused largely on rural areas, but we are also increasingly growing our urban work there.

Our activities with our six partner organizations are vital as without safe water to drink and somewhere hygienic to go to the toilet, the poverty cycle remains unchallenged. 

Achievements to date

• Implemented 700 rural water, sanitation and hygiene projects serving more than 800,000 rural people and 100 urban projects reaching more than 70,000 people
• Provided water, sanitation and hygiene education to 3% of the total rural population
• Helped establish civil society organizations such as NGO Forum on Urban Water and Sanitation and Federation of Rural Water and Sanitation Users Groups to improve governance in the water sector

A WaterAid-funded well in Nepal. Credit: WaterAid / Marco Betti

The extreme topography of Nepal is a challenge in itself and determines which areas can be accessed and the methods used to ensure safe drinking water and improved sanitation. Technologies are chosen that are appropriate to local conditions, affordable and easy to set up and maintain by the communities themselves.

Ensuring the quality of water sources is another major challenge. In the lowland Terai arsenic has been found in 17% of wells. WaterAid and its partners use arsenic detection and mitigation methods to keep wells safe.

Falling water tables and ground water pollution pose additional problems to providing water and sanitation services to the poorest communities.

In the hills WaterAid-supported projects use gravity flow piped supplies where water can be transported by pipes from natural springs to tapstands near to homes.  In capital city Kathmandu traditional wells are rehabilitated and shallow tubewells installed.

Hygiene education is always included in WaterAid's projects so that communities learn the importance of handling water safely and associated hygiene practices. Tiles above public faucets depict images to promote the importance of washing hands at key times. Other successful promotion methods include role play, puppet shows, songs, home visits and practical lessons.

As well as helping communities to manage water and sanitation improvements and change their hygiene practices, the sustainability of projects is always key to our work.

WaterAid's partner, NEWAH has piloted the establishment of SaniMarts in the Eastern region of Udayapur.  SaniMarts are easily accessible shops, staffed by trained sanitation promoters, where otherwise hard to come by latrine construction materials, are sold at affordable rates. This has hugely increased the accessibility of latrine parts.

As as well supporting practical field-based projects, WaterAid works with its NGO (non-governmental organizations) partners to campaign for policy change to keep water and sanitation high on the national agenda. 

A recent campaign is one calling on the government to provide adequate toilet facilities in schools, an issue featured in our photo exhibition School Sanitation: the neglected development link.

WaterAid supports the Federation of Water and Sanitation Users Group (FEDWASUN) - a network with more than with 700 water and sanitation users groups representing 50,000 households - to make the voices of poor people heard by the local governments and service providers at the national level.

Download WaterAid's Nepal information sheet (PDF 1.3MB)

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