The supply of drinking water from Nepal’s Melamchi Drinking Water Project to the Kathmandu Valley has been temporarily suspended after floodwaters turned the project’s intake source excessively muddy, officials confirmed on Friday.
According to Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), the sharp increase in water turbidity has made it difficult for the Sundarijal Water Treatment Plant to process and treat the water safely. As a precaution, the distribution of Melamchi water has been halted until the quality of the source water improves.
KUKL spokesperson Bir Bahadur Chand said the regular water supply schedule would resume once turbidity levels decrease and treatment operations can be carried out effectively. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and assessing water quality before restarting the system.
Officials also warned that continued rainfall in the Melamchi region could prolong the disruption, as additional flooding may further increase sediment levels in the river. Residents of the Kathmandu Valley have been advised to use available water supplies carefully until normal distribution is restored.
The Melamchi Drinking Water Project is a key source of potable water for Kathmandu Valley, and any interruption in its operation can significantly affect thousands of households that depend on the system for their daily water needs.