Toward a fair water distribution in Kathmandu

In the Kathmandu Valley, GIS data of new water distribution network in the BDS and DNI target areas will be handed over to KUKL with a As-built drawings.

This project will develop human resources who can operate and update GIS data inside the KUKL head office and branches.

In addition, the Project will enhance the capacity related to water distribution management such as hydraulic analysis and pressure control to distribute water from the Melamchi fairly within the Kathmandu Valley.

When these efforts are implemented in the PDCA cycle, the growth spiral shown below will be realized, and fair water distribution will lead to improved customer credibility.

Expected Effects of GIS in Water Distribution Management

In general water supply services, the expected effects of using GIS data are summarized as follows. In this Project, the main activity is to regularly update of GIS data and to realize an appropriate water distribution plan using GIS data.

Japanese Experts will proceed with activities while being aware of the path to efficiency improvement of KUKL as a whole in the future and expected effects.

Basic Operation Policy of GIS in KUKL

GIS data will be stored in a server machine installed in KUKL head office, and desktop PCs and GPS devices for GIS data operation would be placed in each branch office for data input and update.

Basic Training of GIS Operation

To acquire basic knowledge on GIS, basic operating skills such as installation of GIS software and performing basic tools were transferred to KUKL through a series of online seminar. The physical basic training was conducted from December 19 to 24, 2021 using GIS data of water distribution network.
A total of 72 KUKL staffs participated in the six sessions of online training, and 62 staffs participated in the five sessions of face-to-face basic training.

At the opening ceremony of the basic training, the managers of KUKL stated that they aim to improve the efficiency of water distribution management by actively using GIS, which shows that KUKL has a strong motivation to improve their capacity to operate waterworks by using GIS.

Practical Training of GIS Operation

Practical training was started in March 2023 by two GIS experts. The JICA Expert Team provided the following equipment to the five KUKL branches.

• High-spec PCs for GIS Operation
• GPS Positioning Device (RTK-GNSS)
• Tablet for Supervisors (Samsun Galaxy Tab A8)

In the past, the documents required for customer registration were prepared by hand by supervisors, which was very time consuming. From now on, they can be managed as digital data using a tablet device, which will not only facilitate DX within KUKL, but also improve customer service.

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Basic Training of Ultrasonic Flowmeter

Online training and face-to-face exercises were conducted in October 2021 and January 2022 to acquire basic knowledge of hydraulics and flow measurement methods using Ultrasonic Flow Meter provided by Japanese Expert Team, which are necessary for water distribution management.

A total of 23 KUKL staffs participated in the two sessions of online training and 16 staffs participated in the six sessions of face-to-face training.

This Ultrasonic Flowmeter provided allows flow measurement without cutting the pipeline. It can be used to measure the flow rate of pipelines in various locations depending on KUKL's needs, covering diameters from 20 mm to 1200 mm.

About New Water Distribution Network

Melamchi Water Supply Project, with a capacity of 170MLD, is being implemented under financial assistance and co-financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and JICA. After the completion of this big project, the water supply of KUKL will be doubled by the water conducted from the Melamchi River, and the water supply infrastructure in Kathmandu Valley will be drastically improved by the Distribution Network Improvement (DNI) project supported by ADB.

Under the above DNI project, the development of the water distribution network including installation of pipelines and customers meters is being carried out in three phases. The water pipeline network within the ring road surrounding Kathmandu and Lalitpur cities will be developed through DNI Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Toward a Fair Water Distribution in Kathmandu

The water transmission plan from New Sundarijal WTP to each distribution reservoir will be managed by KUKL Head Office. On the other hand, since the water distribution plan in each DNI area will be managed by each branch office, it is necessary to establish a water distribution management system in KUKL to ensure consistency of water distribution planning.

While Kathmandu's water demand is estimated at 370 MLD, it will still take a considerable amount of time before the entire amount can be covered by the Melamchi Water Supply Project. The new Sundarijal water treatment plant, which is currently completed, has a capacity of only 170 MLD, and for the time being, this limited water needs to be distributed in an equitable manner within the city.

This project will build a water distribution model using GIS data to help KUKL develop an optimal water distribution plan.