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Tap Water Safety in Nepal

Do not Drink :(

LAST UPDATED: April 8, 2021 12:53 pm
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Table of Contents

How do People In Nepal Rate The Tap Water?

Travellers and residents of Nepal have rated the water quality and pollution as follows, according to subjective survey data. A score of 100% is considered very high, and a score of 0% is very low. Please be cautious that "moderate to very high" water pollution is bad and the higher the rate of water quality the better.

Can you drink the tap water in Nepal?

The US Center for Disease Control's travel advisory recommends avoiding tap water and drinking bottled or disinfected water in Nepal (source). Like all countries though, water accessibility, sanitation, and treatment vary widely from location to location, so we encourage looking for specific city information.

What do people in Nepal think about the tap water?

Don’t drink the water in Nepal. Ice should be avoided except in upmarket tourist-oriented restaurants. While trekking, purify your own water rather than buying purified water in polluting plastic bottles.

Water Purification

The easiest way to purify water is to boil it thoroughly. Chlorine tablets (eg Puritabs or Steritabs) kill many pathogens but are not effective against giardia and amoebic cysts. Follow the directions carefully“ filter water through a cloth before adding the chemicals and be sure to wet the thread on the lid to your water bottle. Once the water is purified, vitamin C or neutralizing tablets can be added to remove the chemical taste.

Chlorine is more effective against giardia and amoebic cysts when combined with phosphoric acid (eg Aquamira). Iodine can be used as effectively as chlorine but is now discouraged by medics in the UK. Trekking filters take out all parasites, bacteria, and viruses, and make water safe to drink. However, it is very important to read the specifications so that you know exactly what the filter removes from the water. Another option is a UV light-based treatment such as a Steripen, but water has to be clear for this to work.

Wikitravel

Prithvi Narayan's heirs Pratap Singh, Rana Bahadur and Girvan Yuddha continued expansion of their kingdom into the Koshi river basin east of the Bagmati system. Like the Gandaki, the Koshi traditionally has seven major tributaries descending from the Himalayas before joining forces to break through the Mahabharat and Siwalik ranges. Ranges drained by Koshi tributaries include Mount Everest and its neighbouring peaks, as well as the western side of the Kangchenjunga massif. Kangchenjunga and a high ridge to the south are the watershed between the Koshi and Tista basins as well as the border between Nepal and the former kingdom of Sikkim that India annexed in 1975.

USER SUBMITTED RATINGS

tap water
  • Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility 65% High
  • Water Pollution 76% High
  • Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility 35% Low
  • Water Quality 24% Low

The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in , measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).

Reminder

Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.

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