KATHMANDU, March 26: Every household in Kathmandu will have a septic tank if a new policy being formulated by the Ministry of Urban Development is to come into force. And, every household will have to install a rainwater harvesting system to channel the rainwater from the rooftops into the ground.
The Ministry said it is discussing ways to keep the Capital Valley rivers and streams clean and free from household sewerage.
According to ministry sources, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakashman Singh is particularly keen on implementing this plan. He has repeatedly emphasized the need for mandatory septic tanks in every household and for rainwater to seep into the ground instead of flowing onto the streets during the monsoon.
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Officials believe that preventing sewage from mixing with rivers, installing septic tanks in all houses, and redirecting rainwater underground will help keep the rivers clean and restore the underground water levels.
Minister Singh recently held discussions with the mayors, deputy mayors, and chief administrative officers of all municipalities within the valley on this issue. Ministry spokesperson and Joint Secretary Narayan Prasad Mainali stated that another round of discussion is to follow soon.
During the meeting with municipal leaders, Minister Singh pointed out that the Bagmati and Bishnumati rivers are currently being used as sewage disposal sites. He urged the mandatory construction of septic tanks in every home to prevent further pollution. He also stressed that new houses must include septic tanks and suggested that homeowners in the same community could share a septic tank if space constraints prevent individual installations.
The Local Government Operation Act, 2017, grants local governments the authority to approve building permits, including the mandatory installation of septic tanks. However, in urban areas like Kathmandu, many homeowners have not built septic tanks due to the availability of a sewer system.
Instead of installing septic tanks, many households directly discharge sewage into nearby rivers, causing severe pollution. Environmental experts have stated that keeping sewage out of rivers would significantly improve their cleanliness. A senior ministry official confirmed that Minister Singh has been consistently focused on this issue.
The government has already implemented this system in the newly built ministerial residences in Bhaisepati, Lalitpur, where a processed septic tank has been installed instead of a traditional sewer connection. Engineers claim that a well-maintained septic tank can function effectively for many years.