Regional Conference on Rainwater Harvesting & Management is underway in Kathmandu

In Nepal, the Regional Conference on Rainwater Harvesting and Management is underway in Kathmandu where countries of South Asia have gathered to share an interdisciplinary exchange of best practices, research, innovation and policy intervention required in the region.

Minister for Energy, Irrigation and Water Resources of Nepal, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, has pressed the need for promoting the practice of rainwater harvesting, its management and use to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In his address to a Regional Conference on Rainfall Harvest and Management in Lalitpur today, the Minister said that Traditional sources of water are drying up due to the impact of climate change. Rainfall harvesting and its management are needed to address the water crisis ahead. Minister Basnet stressed the need to timely identify the challenges and find solutions to them, pointing out that the climate change impact might lead to a shortage of water. He also emphasized the conservation of the water sources.

The two-day conference jointly organised by the Smart Wash Solution Pvt LTD and the SNV Netherlands Development Cooperation Organisation aims to seek solutions to the increasing water crisis and damages due to excessive rainfall. The event is supported by the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management and the Nepal Rainwater Harvesting Alliance. Among the co-organisers of the Conference are the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance, Water Aid Nepal, Nepal Water for Health and WWF. Similarly, various organisations such as UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), the Town Development Fund, the Biogas Support Programme, Helvetas Nepal, Nepal Open University, Global Peace Foundation, Diyalo Technologies, Youth Alliance Environment and Best Pani have supported the event. Han Heijnen, President of International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance spoke on how nature-based solutions in infiltration and storage of rainwater are a solution to the water crisis.

Chairperson of Smart Wash Solution and Organising Committee, Ramdeep Sah shed light on the importance of protecting water sources, as where there is enough availability of water, human civilization is developing. Physical and industrial development is increasing. The places facing scarcity of water are behind the humanitarian development index. There is a negative impact on traditional water resources. Water sources are drying up due to irregular rainfall following climate change. International and national experts are presenting 31 working papers related to policy, regulation and organisational models for rainwater harvesting and management sustainable development goal of supplying clean drinking water to all by 2030 in the conference.