Government Institutes

Melamchi Water Supply Development Board (MWSDB) has been established by the government of Nepal in November 9, 1998 as an implementing agency of Melamchi water supply project.

While going back to history, the populations of Kathmandu Valley were not high, so, government was not too much concern about providing drinking water supply to the people in Kathmandu Valley. During that period, people used to take water from the available natural sources near their homes. However, because of population growth due to both natural growth and in-migration from other districts, the existing available resources were not enough to feed the people and thus, government realized to provide drinking water for the people in the Kathmandu valley and thus established a systematic development of water supply system with the name PANI ADDA (PANI GOSWARA) unit in 2029 BS. The organization has been restructured from time to time in order to provide the better service delivery to the customer.

Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB or Board) is an autonomous government body formed under Water Supply Management Board Act, 2063. The reporting line ministry of the Board is Ministry of Physical Planning and Works. KVWSMB is the asset owner of all assets associated with water supply and sewerage system in Kathmandu Valley. It is responsible for developing and overseeing service policies, and providing license to service providers for the operation and management of water supply and sanitation service system in Kathmandu Valley and monitoring the same in order to ensure supply of sufficient potable water with an acceptable residual pressure head at an affordable price to its consumers.

History of piped water supply system development in Nepal dates back to 1895 A.D., when the first Bir Dhara system (1891-1893) was commissioned. The system also led to establishment of Pani Goshowara Adda and it provided limited private and community standpipes in few selected parts of Kathmandu. The water service were then gradually extended to few other prominent places like Amalekhgunj, Birgunj, Palpa and Jajarkot . The sector received a fair priority in the First Five Year Development Plan, which started in 1956, but the sector activities were placed under the Department of Irrigation for a long while until the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage (DWSS) was formally established in 1972. Since it's establishment the department has been providing lead inputs in the development of water supply and sanitation programs throughout the country.