Melamchi Water Supply Project
Overview
The Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) is considered to be the most viable long-term alternative to ease the chronic water shortage situation within the Kathmandu Valley. The Project is designed to divert about 170 MLD of fresh water to Kathmandu Valley from the Melamchi River in Sindhupalchowk district. Augmenting this supply by adding about a further 170 MLD each from the Yangri and Larke rivers, which lie in the upstream proximity of Melamchi are also being investigated as future supply sources.
Project Objective
The primary objective of the Project is to alleviate the chronic shortage of potable water in Kathmandu Valley on a sustainable long-term basis, and thereby to improve the health and well-being of its inhabitants, particularly the poor.The project is designed to serve good quality potable drinking water as per World Health Organization’s guideline to feed in improved distribution network as set out by the Melamchi Water Supply Project – Subproject II.
Project Coverage
Melamchi project is located in Kathmandu and Sindhupalchowk District in the Central Development Region of Nepal. The intake site is located in the upper part of the Melamchi River basin about one km north west of Dorin Village and about 0.5 km south east of Ghwakang village at an elevation of about 1425 m.a.s.l near Riberma. The project areas stretches from the intake at Melamchi river to the outlet at Sundarijal, about 14 km north-east of Kathmandu city.
Melamchi Dirversion Scheme (MDS) covers three components:
- Intake in Melamchi Khola, near the village of Gwakhan, about 21 km upstream of Melamchi Pul Bazar;
- Two distilling basins where suspended sediment down to a size of 0.2 mm will be trapped and disposed; and
- Water transfer tunnel, about 26.5 km long
Project Financing
Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) was designed to finance four major components (i) Infrastructure Development, (ii) Social and Environmental Support; (iii) institutional reforms; and (iv) Project implementation Support. The current financing plan and sources to respective project task are as follow:
1. Government of Nepal (GON)
2. Asian Development Bank (ADB)
3. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
4. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
5. Nordic Development Fund (NDF)
Project Activities:
Major works of MWSP includes following:
- Melamchi Diversion Scheme:
- Construction of Tunnel and Headwork
- Construction, Management and Maintenance of Access Roads
- Construction, Operation and Management of Camp sites
- Social and Environmental Support:
- Environmental Management
- Public Relation
- Land Acquisition and Re-settlement
- Social Upliftment Program
- Water Treatment Plant
Progress of the Project can be accessed directly from the project website: http://www.melamchiwater.gov.np/
