Common Feedback Project Data on Water Supply and Reconstruction: the Common Feedback Project (CFP) conducted regular community perception surveys across the earthquake affected districts. The surveys regularly found that water supply was a major issue for households in terms of day to day life (in September 2015 respondents reported a 51% increase in the time spent collecting water) and in rebuilding their houses. Respondents regularly reported being unable to rebuild their house because of water scarcity and water supply improving water supply was a key reconstruction priority in all surveys.   A selection of quotes from Common Feedback Project survey respondents regarding issues with water supply.  Mr. Kajiram Gurung and Mr. Asharam Gurung originally from Kerauja who have relocated to Simalchaur. You can listen to Kajiram and Asharam sharing their story here.
Kharpa Basti, Ward No. 9, Dakshinkali Municipality, Kathmandu: the community in this area have been facing water supply problems for many years. There are about 50 households in Kharpa Basti, 90% of whom are eligible for the GoN housing reconstruction grant. The households have signed the partnership agreement with the government and received the first tranche but most have not been able to rebuild their house because of the acute shortage of water, problems transporting construction materials and water, and not having enough money. A Kharpa Basti water users committee has been formed, with support from the ward office, and they have managed to lift water from downward streams and also from the Sheshnarayan area where the main water source is located. Water storage tanks have been distributing water to households once every 3 days at a cost of 100 NPRs. The municipality and ward offices have set aside 20 lakh NPRs for a water supply management scheme in Kharpa Basti. Some of the plans of this scheme includes recharge plastic pond and promotion of vegetable farming.
Bhalchope, Aaruarbang, Rural Municipality, Ward No. 5, Gorkha: this village was affected by the 2015 earthquake, with houses and infrastructure badly damaged. This included damage to the drinking water supply system and household latrines. Initially the area was deemed to be unsafe due to landslides and the community were preparing to relocate, but then a subsequent survey found the area to be safe and the community started considering how to rebuild the services in the village. Most people in the village depend on agriculture for their livelihoods but recently people have been migrating to other countries for work as agriculture cannot sustain them year round. COSDER-Gorkha started a WASH programme in the area; the 'one house, one tap' programme. The households report that this has made life much easier and contributed to improved hygiene practices, reduced time spent collecting water, and supported housing reconstruction.  One of the household taps built as part of the 'one house, one tap' programme.
Kharanitar, Tadi Rural Municipality, Nuwakot: this area has been struggling with water scarcity for a number of years and community disputes over drinking and irrigation water were common. After the 2015 earthquake, water scarcity became even worse and the time people had to spend collecting water increased. The rural municipality then partnered with CARDSN and Oxfam under the DFID funded Purnima Project for the construction of a water supply scheme for Kharanitar. The scheme will benefit 384 households in the area, including 71 households who were displaced by the earthquake and are relocating to an integrated settlement at Budune, Kharanitar. All households will now have a connection at their house and people have expressed their happiness at having a household tap which will reduce community disputes and the time spent collecting water. The scheme includes a sedimentation tank for settling out sand and other dust particles, and 5 RVTs of various sizes from 5 cubic metres to 33 cubic metres. CARDSN shared that the collection of a tariff from all users of the scheme, provision of a village maintenance worker, and strong leadership from the rural municipality and ward offices will support the sustainability of the project.
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