KATHMANDU, JAN 10 -
The Kathmandu Uptayaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) has said that Kathmandu residents don’t have to suffer from water shortage during the dry season this year.

Every year during dry season, Valley dwellers have to reel under water crisis as KUKL cannot pump enough water because of extended power cuts. But this year, with KUKL all set to acquire eight new generator sets and 10 water tankers, Valley dwellers can at least heave a sigh of relief.

“Generators will be a great asset to us. In addition the water tankers will add value to our supply system,” said Rameshwar Lal Shrestha, Spokesperson at KUKL.

Kathmandu Valley sees acute shortage of drinking water from mid February to mid May.

“During last year’s dry season, when we had 16 hours a day of power cut, we could not generate more than 90 million litres of water per day. We even failed to deliver even minimum requirement. Thus, people in the Valley were seriously affected,” added Shrestha.  According to the Nepal Electricity Authority, the country will face at least 12 hrs of daily power cut this dry season.

In case of continuous power supply, KUKL can generate 110-120 million litres of water even during the dry season though the demand is at least 280 million litres of water per day.

Even during the wet season, KUKL supplies only 160 million litres of water per day.

KUKL has also decided not to sell water during the dry season. With 10 new tankers, KUKL will have a fleet of 28 water tankers to distribute water in different areas of the Capital. “We will deliver drinking water in water scare areas free of cost,” said Shrestha. “Either the club or any committee in the area can approach us formally demanding water.”

KUKL supplies at least 20 percent of underground water out of the overall supply, generated from the 64 deep tube wells around the valley.  The Asian Development Bank through its Project Implementation Directorate (PID) will be providing the new generator sets and water tankers to KUKL.

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