Inclusive and sustainable rural water supply services in Nepal

Beyond the Finish Line in Nepal is part of an ongoing multi-country programme partnership with the Government of Australia’s Water for Women Fund implemented by SNV with partners in Bhutan, Lao PDR, and Nepal.

The project builds on Nepal's experience in rural water supply services and water governance strengthening. Between 2018 and 2022, SNV and partners were successful in scaling out access to basic hygiene services (99.1%) and water services (98.7%), reaching nearly all people in both districts.

With district government partners, UTS-ISF, IWMI, and CBM Australia, the project contributes to strengthening water security by 2024. Activities seek to advance people’s health, gender equality, and well-being through improvements in the management of gravity-fed and ground-water-based systems in Dailekh and Sarlahi, respectively.

Together, the partnership contributes to strengthening water security in both districts by:

• preserving WASH gains in access and systems improvement, threatened by climate change effects,

• strengthening data availability and capacity to carry out climate risk vulnerability assessments across Nepal’s diverse geographic terrains,

• introducing water resource management tools and methodologies for water security, and

• partnering with and training newly elected representatives to operationalise their respective Climate Resilient Water Supply strategies, 2022-2030.

Priority areas for research, knowledge generation, and learning include, (1) national government engagement of local leadership, (2) inclusive and climate-resilient coping mechanisms for community-based groups, and (3) climate risk and vulnerability analyses, to inform district adaptation plans and investments.