Reviving Nepal’s springs: A sustainable blueprint for water security

In the mountainous regions of Nepal, natural springs are vital sources of drinking water for millions of people and animals. However, as road networks expand due to the need for connectivity, these natural springs are increasingly disrupted, leading to severe spillage and water shortages in local communities. Additionally, water seepage can compromise road durability, posing further challenges.

Dhankuta: Balancing economic growth with sustainability

Since June 2023, Saroj Yakami (who works at MetaMeta) and Madhav Dhakal and Sanjeev Bhuchar (who both work at The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) have been working on an innovative project to secure springs while simultaneously improving road construction. The initiative aims to develop a model that balances economic growth with sustainability. FutureWater is the third partner in this consortium.

Operating across Dhankuta Municipality and Chhathar Jorpati Rural Municipality, within a 71-square-kilometre watershed area, the project has successfully combined advanced data analysis with existing knowledge in the community. To maintain water quality and prevent contamination from traffic and environmental factors for instance, springs need to be protected by barriers or nature-based structures.

To guarantee water flow and natural filtration methods to keep the water clean and safe for consumption, FutureWater, a Netherlands-based scientific research and consulting firm, utilized an existing small-scale hydrological planning model (SPHY) that is well-suited to mountainous regions. This model accounts for all the characteristics of such areas, including elevation differences, steep slopes, and snowfall patterns. Alongside this, a data-driven decision support system (DSS) that uses climate, soil, and land use data to support water management decisions was implemented.

The social enterprise MetaMeta has contributed over 20 years of expertise in water governance, land management, and climate adaptation to the project, protecting both springs and roads through a combination of measures. Additionally, MetaMeta set up a communication plan that ensures wide adaptation and the sustainability of the approach. ICIMOD brings decades of experience in spring management, working closely with the people who live and work in the area.

Impact and achievements

MetaMeta and ICIMOD recently provided an update on the project’s successes. Madhav Dhakal emphasized the importance of involving local leaders at every stage. He proudly reported that the collaborative effort has resulted in an increase of at least one litre per minute of available water in March 2025 compared to March last year. “That means water is now accessible to about 32 more people per day per spring.” This increase significantly benefits local inhabitants who previously had to fetch water from distant sources and can now invest the time saved in agricultural activities, improving livelihoods.

While MetaMeta is leading the overall project, FutureWater is focussing on a blueprint for scaling up similar efforts using scientific models that integrate ground data from test sites. Besides improvements related to water, roads are now safer and durable. There is less damage caused by water and repair costs are substantially lower, which helps people get around more easily and makes the area more accessible.

A local NGO, HUSADEC, along with a dedicated young researcher from MetaMeta based in Dhankuta, has played an important role in roadside spring protection and spring management. They mobilised local communities, organised them into spring user groups, gathered existing information, and facilitated their active participation in designing, implementing, and monitoring the project.

With help from local communities and municipal authorities, four important springs were identified. To protect these water sources and nearby roads from erosion and damage, several simple structures were built. These include spring boxes, collection chambers, gabion walls, small dams made of plants, roadside drains, and drainage pipes or culverts. Water tanks and tap stands were also installed to make sure water is available even during dry periods and to reduce water loss.

To keep the springs flowing in the long-term, small recharge structures – such as trenches and ponds – were created to collect rainwater. These affordable, earth-based solutions help rainwater soak into the ground rather than running off, keeping the springs healthy and supporting the local water supply.

Challenges and lessons learned

The project encountered several challenges during implementation:

• Construction during monsoon season was complex and required local knowledge to protect structures. In some cases, parts of retaining walls had to be redesigned and reconstructed due to damage caused by excess water.
• Budget limitations required design modifications in consultation with municipalities and local engineers with contributions from the community, municipality and ICIMOD for implementation.
• Land acquisition for recharge measures was difficult when the land was privately owned. Mediation with local stakeholders was essential to gain access. The municipality plays a vital role for the negotiations with different stakeholders.
• The fact that spring outlets shift when construction work takes place nearby showed the need for caution when working near spring water sources.
• Rights and environmental laws can complicate the execution of the project.

These challenges, while initially stressful for the community, were eventually managed using local expertise and took about two weeks to resolve. Despite the technical difficulties, the project remained on schedule. An important lesson was recognizing the value of local wisdom and the need to listen more closely to the knowledge of local people, who traditionally avoid touching or disturbing springs, as springs are natural wonders that they respect enormously.

For example, the community tried to extract water from a spring which seemed to have disappeared. They resolved this issue by using local techniques, which involved compacting the soil around the spring with black soil, effectively restoring the water flow. This demonstrates how local knowledge and traditional methods can be used to address challenges in water management. Additionally, the team realized the importance of integrating vegetation and using bamboo, a method that local people have been using for years to protect springs.

Community ownership

After a year of monitoring, the consortium is satisfied with the progress. Local communities and municipalities are requesting more such initiatives, and some have already started their own roadside spring protection projects. This demonstrates how a co-designed, participatory approach fosters community ownership.
Although the current project phase is set to conclude in June, the consortium will leave behind crucial data, including a cost-benefit analysis considering social, environmental, and economic impacts. Involving local communities has proved to be very useful because of their valuable knowledge about the springs and their surroundings, but also for ongoing monitoring and maintenance necessary to keep the springs clean and functional. As unforeseen events like floods or droughts can impact spring protection efforts, the model needs to be adaptable to other regions.

Conclusion

This collaborative initiative exemplifies how integrated approaches can address complex environmental challenges while benefiting local communities. By combining technical expertise with community-led efforts, the project not only revives natural springs and protects roads but also enhances livelihoods and builds resilience against future water scarcity.

Community involvement has been central to the project’s success. Through focus group discussions, surveys, training programmes, and a co-design approach, residents have been empowered to actively participate in monitoring and implementation efforts. While immediate benefits, such as improved access to water for drinking and agricultural use, are already evident, long-term impacts will take years to materialize. Transparency will be maintained with communities about this timeline, fostering trust and collaboration for sustainable outcomes.

As part of the Partners for Water innovation programme (2022–2027), this initiative demonstrates the transformative potential of combining scientific expertise with local partnerships. Through persistent efforts and collaboration, it paves the way for systemic change in water management and infrastructure planning. This will ensure that progress does not come at the expense of vital natural resources.