A meeting between project technicians and users to discuss problems and issues related to drinking water and to identify viable solutions. (PARDYP)

Community efforts for improving drinking water quality (Nepal)

Piune paani ko gunastar sudhar ka lagi samudayik prayas

Description

Working with communities to demonstrate and disseminate methods for improving drinking water quality using structural and vegetative measures

Aims / objectives: The People and Resource Dynamics in Mountain Watersheds of the Hindu Kush- Himalayas Project (PARDYP) implemented this approach with 30 drinking water user households at Barbot in the Jhikhu Khola watershed, Kavre Palanchok. The aim was to improve water quality and availability from an open spring source through participatory planning and implementation. The approach first identified local concerns and observed the sanitary situation of the catchment area. Meetings were held jointly with men and women users from different caste groups (Brahmin, Chhetri, Newar and Kami) to discuss the problems and issues and to identify viable solutions. The advantages and disadvantages of the various options were discussed, after which users selected the following three measures to improve the drinking water supply: 1) building a brick-cement walled structure around the main local spring, 2) establishing check dams across nearby rills and gullies, and 3) planting grass around the spring box and tree saplings within the catchment area. The aim was to prevent direct flow of surface water into the spring and reduce contamination and turbidity of the source. Understanding and support was gained by demonstrating the technology and running an awareness campaign.

Role of stakeholders: The project helped form a users committee made up of 11 women and 1 man and encouraged them to plant grass and tree seedlings across the entire catchment. The project regularly measured the quality of the water and shared the results with the users. Rules and regulations were developed to ensure equitable access to the spring and its sustainable use and management. A notice board with do’s and don’ts was placed near the spring. The users held monthly meetings and established a revolving fund for maintaining the structures. Spring users followed the rules and regulations by washing, cleaning, and bathing at separate sources. Livestock grazing was stopped in the nearby area and the area was regularly cleaned. Furthermore, users were encouraged to treat water for drinking using simple methods like SODIS and the low cost Safa filter to avoid microbiological contamination. They were made more aware of water quality, sanitation, and health issues.

Location

Location: Kavrepalanchowk district/ Jhikhu Kholawatershed, Nepal

Geo-reference of selected sites
  • 85.5, 27.5

Initiation date: n.a.

Year of termination: 2005

Type of Approach
A meeting between project technicians and users to discuss problems and issues related to drinking water and to identify viable solutions. (PARDYP)
Sharing simple water quality treatment methods like SODIS and the low cost Safa filter with users. (B.S. Dongol)

Approach aims and enabling environment

Main aims / objectives of the approach
The Approach focused on SLM only

- To explore and demonstrate appropriate water quality improving technologies and methods in a participatory way. - To increase awareness on water quality, water treatment, and health and hygiene. - To share knowledge gained on the water improvement options with farmers and other stakeholders

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: Weak institutional collaboration to develop technological options for improving drinking water quality and availability and to raise awareness on health and hygiene and waterborne diseases.
Conditions enabling the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
  • Legal framework (land tenure, land and water use rights): The existing land ownership, land use rights / water rights greatly helped the approach implementation: mostly state owned land and some private land - which helped implementating the technology as there was no conflict.
Conditions hindering the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
  • Availability/ access to financial resources and services: For the maintenance of the implemented technology Treatment through the SLM Approach: Revolving fund collected by users
  • Institutional setting: Weak institutional collaboration Treatment through the SLM Approach: User group formed linking local community organisations
  • Knowledge about SLM, access to technical support: Different water treatment methods Treatment through the SLM Approach: Awareness of structural and vegetative measures; direct water treatment methods including Safa filter, SODIS, chlorination

Participation and roles of stakeholders involved

Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles
What stakeholders / implementing bodies were involved in the Approach? Specify stakeholders Describe roles of stakeholders
local land users/ local communities Land users worked equally divided between men and women Improvement of drinking water quality and quantity was the major concern of all spring users.
NGO
national government (planners, decision-makers)
international organization PARDYP/ICIMOD
Lead agency
Concept designed by national specialist and implemented jointly with users
Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach
none
passive
external support
interactive
self-mobilization
initiation/ motivation
x
public meetings; meetings organised to identify problems and possible options to overcome them.
planning
x
public meetings; organised regularly to identify implementing steps, and role and responsibility of different stakeholders in overcoming problems
implementation
x
responsibility for major steps; the user group responsible for implementation and the project for technical support
monitoring/ evaluation
x
The quality of the water was measured in each season to monitor the impact of the technology. Detailed progress reports, results, and lessons learned were shared with district level institutions and authorities, water quality reports were shared with spring users at public meetings
Research
x
Water quality and availability recorded before and after technology implemented. Studies on access to water and confl icts among users
Flow chart

PARDP project donors and implementing partners-- SDC: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation IDRC: International Development Research Centre ICIMOD: International Centre for Integrated Mo

Author: Madhav Dhakal
Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology

Decisions were taken by

  • land users alone (self-initiative)
  • mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists
  • all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach
  • mainly SLM specialists, following consultation with land users
  • SLM specialists alone
  • politicians/ leaders

Decisions were made based on

  • evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
  • research findings
  • personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

Technical support, capacity building, and knowledge management

The following activities or services have been part of the approach
Capacity building/ training
Training was provided to the following stakeholders
  • land users
  • field staff/ advisers
Form of training
  • on-the-job
  • farmer-to-farmer
  • demonstration areas
  • public meetings
  • courses
Subjects covered

Concept of conservation measures, and methods of treating contaminated water using SODIS and safa filter.

Advisory service
Advisory service was provided
  • on land users' fields
  • at permanent centres
Name of method used for advisory service: Sharing information on water quality status, and raising awareness among users.; Key elements: catchment conservation, health hygiene, water treatment methods; 1) Advisory service was carried out through: projects own extension structure and agents; Extension staff: specifically hired project employees 2) Target groups for extension: land users; Activities: awareness on health hygiene; catchment conservation activities and water treatment methods were shared during meetings.

Advisory service is quite adequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities
Institution strengthening
Institutions have been strengthened / established
  • no
  • yes, a little
  • yes, moderately
  • yes, greatly
at the following level
  • local
  • regional
  • national
Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.
Type of support
  • financial
  • capacity building/ training
  • equipment
Further details
Training on water quality treatment provided to local club
Monitoring and evaluation
bio-physical aspects were ad hoc monitored through observations; indicators: land use and degradation, sanitary inspection, history of spring, available resources to trap water technical aspects were regular monitored through measurements; indicators: seasonal water quality and discharge socio-cultural aspects were ad hoc monitored through observations; indicators: number of spring users, household water requirements, users' issues no. of land users involved aspects were regular monitored through measurements; indicators: participation in conservation activities There were few changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: The project consulted with the local women's cooperative to solve a conflict over water quantity and access to spring source.
Research
Research treated the following topics
  • sociology
  • economics / marketing
  • ecology
  • technology

Access to drinking water, conflicts at water fetching times, water quality and quantity measurement, and effectiveness of water treatment methods.

Research was carried out on station

Financing and external material support

Annual budget in USD for the SLM component
  • < 2,000
  • 2,000-10,000
  • 10,000-100,000
  • 100,000-1,000,000
  • > 1,000,000
Precise annual budget: n.a.
Approach costs were met by the following donors: international (SDC, IDRC, ICIMOD): 90.0%; local community / land user(s) (users group): 10.0%
The following services or incentives have been provided to land users
  • Financial/ material support provided to land users
  • Subsidies for specific inputs
  • Credit
  • Other incentives or instruments

Labour by land users was

Credit

Impact analysis and concluding statements

Impacts of the Approach
No
Yes, little
Yes, moderately
Yes, greatly
Did the Approach help land users to implement and maintain SLM Technologies?

To build awareness on SLM and methods of improving drinking water quality. It also helped users to work in a group.

x
Did other land users / projects adopt the Approach?

Similar approaches are being followed in other communities across Nepal.

x
Main motivation of land users to implement SLM
Sustainability of Approach activities
Can the land users sustain what hat been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

Users are maintaining the implemented technology and also protecting the other nearby spring sources.

Conclusions and lessons learnt

Strengths: land user's view
  • Water users committee formed, revolving fund collected, and rules and regulations developed for the sustainable management of the drinking water system (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Maintain links with local community mobilisation groups for continuous guidance and support for the user group and for the proper use of the revolving fund.)
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
  • Users have become more aware of sanitation issues than before (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Awareness campaigns should be organized regularly covering more villages.)
  • Users have become more aware of 1) the quality of their drinking water, 2) its impact on their health, 3) water quality improvement options, and 4) the importance of soil and water conservation (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Water quality testing campaigns should be continued and technical know how about different water quality treatment methods for improved health shared at regular meetings)
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
  • Water aviallability is still insufficient during dry period (March -May) Other available nearrer sources should also be used, catchment protection activities should be continued.
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
  • Conflicts are visible during the dry season due to insufficient quantity of water. Good coordination among the group members should minimise conflicts- the strong and balanced role of users committee is vital for the equitable sharing of benefits.

References

Compiler
  • Madhav Dhakal
Editors
Reviewer
  • Fabian Ottiger
Date of documentation: Jan. 19, 2009
Last update: July 9, 2017
Resource persons
Full description in the WOCAT database
Linked SLM data
Documentation was faciliated by
Institution Project
Key references
  • ICIMOD (2007) Good Practices in Watershed Management, Lessons Learned in the Mid Hills of Nepal. Kathmandu: ICIMOD: ICIMOD
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International