Nepal is a landlocked nation with the current population of over 27 million people. As reported by the World Bank, Nepal is one of the poorest nations in the world with an estimated GDP per capita of US$470. With a staggering 42 percent of the population living below the poverty line and only 27 percent with improved access to sanitation, there are quite a number of issues facing Nepal.
Some of these significant challenges are related to water pollution and water scarcity. Water is one of the basic human necessities but a large proportion of the Nepalese population is devoid of access to safe and adequate drinking water. According to the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage in Nepal, even though an estimated 80% of the total population has access to drinking water, it is not safe.
Those belonging to poor and excluded groups in rural areas have limited to no access. Many in remote areas have to rely on small brooks running from the mountains and spend hours traveling to get water.
Still the drinking water available is not always safe as supplied water is often polluted. One of the reasons for this is due to the fact that the surface and ground water in the Kathmandu Valley is deteriorating by natural and anthropogenic contaminations.Ratopati
