Kathmandu, March 5:

A delegation of locals from Constituency-8 in Kathmandu, led by CA member Nabindra Raj Joshi, today submitted a memorandum to the general manager of Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), demanding regular supply of drinking water to city denizens.

Submitting the memorandum, Joshi said the KUKL had failed to meet the expectations of city dwellers and was failing to supply drinking water. He also said he had submitted a ‘Water Governing Policy’ to the Constituent Assembly to facilitate smooth supply of drinking water.

Joshi also asked the KUKL to regularly maintain sources of water in the Kathmandu valley, publish a schedule for drinking water supply and take adequate measures to control leakage. Joshi also asked the KUKL to increase the frequency of water distribution through tankers and asked the water monopoly in the Valley to support private companies working in drinking water management.

The CA member also asked the KUKL to coordinate with organisations like UN-HABITAT, ENPHO and NGO Forum, which have been promoting rain water harvesting. He also felt

the need for a sustainable policy for the long-term solution to the Valley’s water woes.

Receiving the memorandum, Richard Austin, general manager of the KUKL, said distributing water round the clock was not possible. He also said the KUKL was facing a serious problem in distributing water due to the old distribution network and lack of adequate water treatment plants.

Rapidly growing population, lack of investment in infrastructure in the urban water supply and sanitation sector, absence of a clearly defined policy and low institutional capacity were the main reasons for chronic drinking water shortage, Austin said.

Austin also said most of the households in the Valley were having illegal connection of water and that the power outage was also affecting the water supply. He also said people would have to face the water woes until the completion of the much touted Melamchi project.