After the closure of the Melamchi water supply project in Sindhupalchok, water distribution has been started in the valley from Dhap Dam under the Bagmati Improvement Project. The Melamchi water supply project has been closed since yesterday to protect it from monsoon disasters.
Prakash Kumar Rai, spokesperson of Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Limited, informed that an agreement has been reached with the Bagmati Civilization-Integrated Development Committee to bring water from Dhap Dam and distribute it to the valley residents. He said that after the closure of the Melamchi water supply project yesterday, the distribution of water from Dhap Dam has started from today. According to Rai, since the water shortage will increase after Melamchi’s water supply is stopped in the valley, it has been agreed to bring three to four million liters of water daily from Dhap Dam to facilitate the supply management.
“In addition to the Melamchi water supply, 90 million liters of drinking water is distributed to the consumers daily during this dry season, 40 percent of which is covered by underground water,” he said, “Now that the Melamchi water supply is closed, there will be a shortage of water in the valley, so we have started distributing water from Dhap Dam.” According to him, there is a daily demand of 43 million drinking water in Kathmandu. Water could not be supplied as per requirement. With the growing population, the shortage of drinking water in the valley is increasing as underground water, ponds and streams are drying up.