BHOJPUR: The Lomakhola Drinking Water Project has brought relief to 800 households in Shadananda Municipality, located in northern Bhojpur, under the “One House, One Tap” initiative. These households, previously facing acute water shortages, now have access to running water directly at home.

Mohan Tamang, a resident of Shadananda-12, Tarigaun, shared that years of water scarcity have finally ended. “We used to queue for water at 2:00 a.m. just to get one jug of water,” he said. “Now we have water at home, and life has become much easier. We’re very happy.”

Eighty-three-year-old Hima Devi Karki echoed the sentiment, expressing how the new tap has transformed her daily routine. “I live alone and have asthma. I couldn’t fetch water myself and had to pay others to bring me just two bottles a day,” she said. “Now, with water at home, it’s a great service. I bless those who made this possible.”

The Lomakhola project is designed to serve 1,416 households in Wards 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of Shadananda Municipality. According to Rajan Bikram Rai, Chairperson of the Construction Consumers Committee, water is currently being distributed to areas facing the most critical shortages.

“Our goal is to reach 1,000 households by the end of this fiscal year,” he said. “We’re working rapidly to ensure that every household has access to clean drinking water.”

Under Scheme-1 of the project, nine out of 12 tanks—ranging in size from 9 to 75 cubic meters—have been completed. Additionally, all five distribution tanks under Scheme-2 are now operational.

Water for Scheme-1 is sourced from Kamere and Deuse springs, while Scheme-2 draws from Kakhuwa and Sisnetar.

Despite significant progress, challenges remain. The absence of water treatment infrastructure at the source leads to sand and sediment entering the supply system during the rainy season, occasionally causing blockages. Road expansion in the project area has also slowed construction efforts.

According to Ashutosh Thakur, Chief of the Bhojpur Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office, approximately 75% of the project has been completed. The total estimated cost, including labor, stands at Rs 285.1 million.

A labor-sharing agreement has been made for digging and repairing distribution lines. The project includes a 47-kilometer main pipeline and a 153-kilometer distribution network.

Shadananda Municipality Mayor Surendra Kumar Udas confirmed that residents are already benefiting from the initial phase of water distribution.

He added that the municipality is actively working to ensure the project is completed on schedule. “Once finished, this project will provide reliable drinking water to residents across five wards,” he said.