Water Stops Being a Daily Worry for Two Communities in Nepal

Morning routines in western Nepal have long been shaped by uncertainty. In parts of Banke District, families often began their days walking from pump to pump, unsure whether water would flow, whether it would be clean, or whether it would run out by midday. Across Nepal, nearly one in five households still lacks access to safely managed drinking water, and waterborne illnesses remain a leading cause of preventable sickness, especially among children. 

Scarcity carries consequences. Children miss school while fetching water. Women spend hours waiting at unreliable handpumps. Households ration what little they collect, choosing between cooking, cleaning, or hygiene. In dense neighborhoods and rural settlements alike, unsafe water has shaped health outcomes and daily life for years. 

To reduce that burden, Life for Relief and Development (LIFE) completed two water well projects in Banke District, Nepal, between September and November 2025, restoring reliable access to clean water in both a rural municipality and a busy urban neighborhood. 

The first project was completed in Janki Rural Municipality-5, where LIFE installed a 90-foot deep tubewell serving eight families who previously depended on distant or failing water points.

The second was completed in Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City-16, Jaishpur, where LIFE constructed a handpump water well with a multi-stage filtration system, now used by an estimated 100 people each day, including households, students, and worshippers. 

Both wells were designed for long-term use and safety. LIFE worked with local teams to identify central locations, ensure groundwater suitability, and install durable systems that could withstand seasonal shortages. The Jaishpur site includes multiple taps and washbasins, supporting hygiene at a nearby madrasa and mosque, while the rural tubewell draws from a protected underground source to prevent contamination during dry months. 

“For years, our mornings started with stress,” said one local resident. “Now clean water is just steps away. We no longer fear running out.” 

At Madrasa Darul Quran in Jaishpur, teachers reported immediate changes. “Students used to miss class time fetching water,” one educator shared. “Now they drink freely, wash their hands, and stay focused. Attendance has improved, and illnesses have declined.” 

In Janki Rural Municipality, families described a different kind of relief. “My wife used to spend hours each day walking for water,” a community elder said. “Now she has time to help our children study. We even started a small garden. This well changed how we live.” 

These projects did more than provide water. They reduced illness, returned hours of time to families, improved school attendance, supported dignified worship, and strengthened community confidence in shared resources. By placing clean water within reach, LIFE helped transform daily survival into something steadier and more predictable. 

As climate pressure and population growth continue to strain water systems across Nepal, investments like this matter deeply. They show what happens when infrastructure meets real need, and when clean water is treated as the foundation of health, education, and dignity. Thank you to all the donors who made this project possible.