Water scarcity and excess: water insecurity in cities of Nepal
Open Access
- 13 March 2023
- journal article
- research article
- Published by IWA Publishing in Water Supply
- Vol. 23 (4), 1544-1556
- https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2023.072
Abstract
The world is facing the greatest and most complex twin challenges of water insecurity: scarcity and excess, with their adverse consequences on health, well-being, and developmental outcomes. Against this backdrop, we analyzed the challenges households face due to ‘too much and too little water’. The research employed a qualitative methodology in which data were collected through 40 key informant interviews, informal conversations, and observations during 2020–2021 including a relevant literature review. We note that both ‘too much and too little water’ pose risks to water insecurity. Also, water security cannot be ensured by only dealing with water inadequacy without building a resilient water system and robust institutions. We found that water scarcity has affected other components of water security such as equity, quality, and affordability. Excess water has impacted water infrastructures degrading the water quality, and risking human health and well-being. The responses to the water challenges were hindered by several constraints such as the limited capacity of the water institutions, frequent leadership changes, political influence, and emerging challenges in the federal context. We suggest timely planning and adopting site-specific innovations to address water scarcity and excess challenges, which include strengthening water infrastructures, water supply services, water institutions, and governance.Keywords
Funding Information
- International Development Research Centre (108212-001)
- International Development Research Centre (108973-001)
This publication has 43 references indexed in Scilit:
- Water security in South Africa: perceptions on public expectations and municipal obligations, governance and water re-useWater SA, 2016
- Impacts of a flash flood on drinking water quality: case study of areas most affected by the 2012 Beijing floodHeliyon, 2016
- Vulnerability to flood-induced public health risks in SudanDisaster Prevention and Management, 2014
- Water security in one blue planet: twenty-first century policy challenges for sciencePhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 2013
- On water security, sustainability, and the water-food-energy-climate nexusFrontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 2013
- Water security: Debating an emerging paradigmGlobal Environmental Change, 2012
- Sink or Swim? Water security for growth and developmentWater Policy, 2007
- Epidemics after Natural DisastersEmerging Infectious Diseases, 2007
- Water scarcity: Fact or fiction?Agricultural Water Management, 2006
- Calculating a Water Poverty IndexWorld Development, 2002