KATHMANDU, Oct 13: The Melamchi Drinking Water Project has resumed supply of drinking water to Kathmandu Valley. The water supply was closed during the monsoon to prevent damage from floods and landslides along the Melamchi River.
According to the Melamchi Drinking Water Development Committee, over 170 million liters of water is now being channeled daily to the Sundarijal water processing center following repairs in areas damaged by the monsoon. The supply had been halted since monsoon last year, when officials decided to shut down the system as a precaution against monsoon-induced damage.
Kathmandu Valley’s daily water demand stands at 430 million liters, while only 130 to 140 million liters were being supplied from other sources during the shutdown.
With the resumption of Melamchi water, Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) has begun distributing the increased supply to households.
The Melamchi project was severely damaged by floods on 15 June, 2021 which destroyed its headworks. Since then, water from Melamchi has been supplied to the Valley only during winter months.