Lahan, 28 July 2022 (TDI): Water and sanitization experts from Anglian Water from UK and Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) are working together in a Beacon Project through a unique partnership.
The two entities will bring together a sustainable as well as inclusive 24/7 supply of water and sanitization to the Lahan city in Nepal.
In a unique partnership, water and sanitation experts from @WaterAidNepal @AnglianWater and the #Nepal Water Supply Corporation are working together to bring a sustainable and inclusive 24/7 supply to the town of Lahan.
Find out more 👉 https://t.co/ualCsBqtB7 pic.twitter.com/K53sT1Q4fx
— WaterAid Global (@wateraid) July 27, 2022
The Beacon Project
The Beacon Project started in 2018 to improve the water and sanitization services in Lahan. The purpose is to build a “beacon” for how the sustainable development goal on water and sanitation may be realized and scaled up.
The project focuses on infrastructure development, such as the boreholes dug, water pipelines construction, and the built number of toilets.
Anglian Water Assistance to NWSC
Before the Beacon Project and the collaboration with Anglian Water, NWSC faced difficulties and needed support in the implementation of several developments.
NWSC Lahan had faced difficulties in building effective boreholes wells which resulted in the poor quality of water. Anglian Water has assisted NWSC in constructing boreholes.
They employed a local hydrogeologist to help drilling contractors and trained NWSC branch managers throughout Nepal in borehole drilling.
To improve leak detection and repair, Anglian Water has offered information and instruction. Additionally, it has assisted NWSC in creating a geographic map for a hydraulic model for organizing any future expansion.
NWSC is currently receiving assistance from Anglian Water for providing a 24/7 water supply. The staff at the NWSC has received training on water safety plans. They periodically test the water quality at consumer taps, supply points, and open wells.
Through training, technologies, and continuous technical assistance, the NWSC Lahan staff has developed their abilities and served as a “knowledge hub” for the other towns.
At the same time, the initiative has been extremely rewarding for the staff of Anglian Water and its alliance partners. Regular phone conversations and problem-solving sessions with colleagues in Nepal have made peer learning extremely beneficial.
Role of Water Aid Nepal
Although Anglian Water and NWSC have appropriate skills, Water Aid Nepal has assisted Anglian Water in understanding the political economy, cultural setting, and operations and maintenance challenges faced by NWSC.
Direct communication between staff members of Anglian Water and NWSC Lahan was challenging due to linguistic and cultural limitations. Water Aid has helped to bridge the gap between the two organizations’ distinct working structures.
Challenges to the Beacon project
Over the past four years, Lahan has made significant progress, but there are still some obstacles. One is that the staff at NWSC Lahan is inexperienced.
They have a large number of pending operations where the workers are not responding to the failed and leaked networks.
Another restricting factor is that the Nepalese government do not have effective framework agreements for procurement procedure.
According to government policies, the branch manager has only the choice to accept the lowest proposal without taking into account technical quality unless it is a large contract.
For the UK team, it has been challenging to keep updated on the quickly changing operational situation and give in-depth assistance for the installation work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions.
Student of BS International Relations in Kinnaird College for Women. Currently, working in 'TDI' as a contributor.
