Sustainable management of small-town water supply in Nepal: improvement through the multi-stage training mechanism

Abstract

In Nepal, a project to sustain a safe water supply for small towns was executed in 68 towns, each with distinctive water sources and topographical situations. This project adopted two approaches to establish a standardized capacity development process for small-town water supplies. The first approach, the Management Model, consists of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and business planning. The second approach, termed the Support Model, entails a comprehensive system for training, monitoring, and evaluating water supply management. Throughout the project, a total of 31 SOPs pertaining to operation, maintenance, and facility rehabilitation manuals were developed. Moreover, four courses consisting of training, basic and on-site training, and interactive workshops were conducted. Consequently, the data deficiency rate reduced significantly by 61%, while 87% of water samples met water quality standards. In contrast, the operating ratio and water production rates improved by 17 and 29%, respectively. The materials produced from these models are expected to contribute to small-town water supply systems beyond the pilot sites. This is due to the versatility of the model for future applications. Although the project was effectively implemented, continuous support for small-town water supply by the Government of Nepal is needed for future sustainability.