Mugu: Ishwor Rawal of Chhayanath Rara Municipality Ward No. 8 was found washing dishes in her courtyard, having just returned from fetching muddy river water. Tired of carrying water for years, her face now beamed with joy.

“Now that I don’t have to carry drinking water, it feels like the burden of life itself has been lifted,” she shared happily, smiling as she continued washing dishes.

She expressed how the arrival of water taps at home ended their dependence on muddy river water and made cleanliness much easier. Thanks to financial support from UNICEF Nepal and technical assistance from Chay-Ya Nepal, the long-standing drinking water hardship of Jhyari village in Chhayanath Rara Municipality–8 has finally come to an end with the installation of household taps.

Under a technical support project implemented by Chay-Ya Nepal—focused on disability-inclusive water, sanitation, hygiene in schools, and safe community drinking water—128 homes in Jhyari were provided with household taps to ensure access to safe water.

For the drinking water system, UNICEF contributed Rs. 1,666,108.56, and the villagers provided Rs. 398,589.85 worth of labor contribution, bringing the total investment to Rs. 2,064,695.41.

After gaining access to clean water through household taps, local residents are overjoyed. According to local resident Tar Singh Rawal, the availability of safe drinking water has especially benefited housewives and children. With the saved time, children can now study instead of spending mornings and evenings fetching water.

Due to the lack of safe water sources, villagers of Jhyari had been forced to bathe and wash clothes in the same river, and drink that contaminated water. This had led to outbreaks of diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and typhoid, and even caused untimely deaths, said Karna Bahadur Rawal, chairperson of Ward No. 8, Chhayanath Rara Municipality.

He added that the ward office, in line with the government’s “one house, one tap” policy, has been prioritizing efforts to provide safe drinking water to every household.

Wash Khabar