|
The Department of Water Supply
and Sewerage (DWSS), established in 1972, is the lead agency
for the drinking water supply and sanitation sector of Nepal.
It is working towards achieving the sector objective of Government
of Nepal which is to achieve ‘sustained improvement
in health status and productivity for Nepalese people as a
whole with particular emphasis on lower income group through
the provision of adequate, locally sustainable water supply
and sanitation facilities in association with improved personal,
household and community hygiene behavior’.
In line with achieving the above sector objective, Government
Nepal has set the goal of providing all the Nepalese people
access to drinking water supply and sanitation facilities
by the year 2017.
Whereas majority of the current figures of coverage are due
to the efforts of DWSS in the past, currently many other agencies
(such as other government bodies, INGOs, and NGOs) are working
in the sector. As such the DWSS is now facing the challenge
of integrating the efforts of all the agencies working in
the sector towards the sectoral national and the millennium
development goals. In order to take on this challenge, DWSS
is preparing to start the task of developing database on actual
status of coverage, and has plan of networking of available
information sources, and formation and activation of sectoral
coordination forum. DWSS is currently in the process of devolving
all its district level operations to the local district authorities
focusing more on central level projects and coordinating activities.
The figure for coverage of population by mid July 2003 by
drinking water supply was 71.6 %. In the period mid July 2003
to mid July 2007 additional 2.62 million people have been
provided access to supply of drinking water thus increasing
the coverage figure to 80.4 % of the population. In this 1
million are covered by programs implemented by DWSS and the
rest by other agencies working in the sector. The figure for
coverage of population by basic sanitation is about 46%.
These figures, however being through secondary sources, the
task of having actual database on current status is started
from the fiscal year 2062/63. These database, besides providing
the real picture on where we are in terms of actual coverage
and overall sectoral status, will also help in identifying
areas of urgent attentions. Date report will be produced towords
end of by 2064/65 |
