Kathmandu, August 4

Melamchi Water Supply Project is all set to conduct test run of its Sundarijal-based water treatment plant. Two months ago, contractors had begun construction of a dam on the Bagmati River and installation of pipeline to the treatment plant following instruction from Melamchi Water Supply Development Board.

According to MWSDB, preparations have been completed for the test run of the treatment plant. “We have completed preparations and now we are ready to begin test run of the water treatment plant by releasing water from the Bagmati River,” Deputy Executive Director at MWSDB Ramakanta Duwadi told The Himalayan Times, adding, “Test run of the treatment plant will begin the second week of August.”

The contractors have constructed a small intake dam on the Bagmati River after receiving permission from Shivapuri Nagarjuna National Park as the river lies on the SNNP Park’s buffer zone area.

MWSDB said after the test run of the treatment plant, treated water will be supplied through the bulk distribution system from mid-August.

Sundarijal-based plant has the capacity of treating 85 million litres of water per day. Two Indian Companies VA Tech Wabag Ltd and Pratibha Industries Ltd have been working to conduct test run of the water treatment plant for the last two months. Pratibha Industries Ltd is the contractor

for Sundarijal-based plant, whereas VA Tech Wabag Ltd is the contractor for expansion of the Guheshwori-based treatment plant.

Melamchi Water Supply Project has been facing problems in tunnel excavation due to weak rock formation due to which the project is likely to miss its third deadline for supplying water to Kathmandu Valley. The project’s third deadline is expiring in October 2017.

The Melamchi project envisages supplying 510,000,000 litres of water per day to the Valley from Melamchi, Yangri, and Larke rivers of Sindhupalchowk district. Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited is the only organisation that supplies water to 2,700,000 people in the Valley. The daily demand of water in Kathmandu Valley stands at 370,000,000 litres, while daily supply stands at 110,000,000 litres.