Nepal’s water infrastructure is failing, so residents are reviving an ancient solution

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The spout she visits each morning is part of the Kathmandu Valley’s traditional water system, composed of interconnected stone spouts known locally as dhunge dhara or alternately as hiti. The network once supplied water to communities across the valley; today, it provides an alternative source for residents facing unreliable access to piped water.

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In a country where only  a quarter of the population has access to clean drinking water, Poudel is one of a growing number of Kathmandu residents choosing the spout over the tap. Nearly 70% of the city’s drinking water samples contain E. coli and faecal coliform, bacteria that indicate contamination by human or animal waste, according to the latest government analysis. Residents say the valley’s rivers have become open sewers and the pipes carry the same contamination into their homes.

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These fountains rely on underground aquifers that channel water naturally through gravitational force, supported by networks of ponds and canals that store and regulate supply during dry seasons while preventing flooding during monsoons.

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Like the city’s modern water infrastructure, the ancient water network has also been increasingly under pressure due to extreme weather and development. Kathmandu receives around 57 inches (1,450 millimetres) of rainfall a year, but more often, that rain is falling in shorter, more intense periods, Upadhyay says.

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“They are priceless ancient heritage and very old living historic monuments – beyond easing daily shortages,” he tells Next City. “If Kathmandu Valley loses them or they stop flowing, the water crisis will deepen further, and we will lose a very important part of our history.”