Water ATMs becoming popular in Kathmandu Valley

KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 7:The use of Water ATMs has been increasing lately in the Kathmandu Valley. One can get 200 ml of drinking water in a paper cup by inserting a two-rupee coin into such machines. It requires Rs 10 to fill a one-liter bottle.

 There are a total of 20 Water ATMs in the Valley (12 in Kathmandu, 7 in Lalitpur and 1 in Bhaktapur). In Kathmandu, they are installed at Teku, Kalanki, Swayambhu, Baisdhara, Shankha Park, Shankhadhar Park and New Baneshwor along with CIT Building, Shahid Gangalal, Teaching Hospital, Bir Hospital and Civil Service Hospital.

Likewise, Lalitpur has them installed at the Nepal Engineers Association, Bangalamukhi Temple, Kusunti, Patan Hospital, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Pulchok Engineering Campus and Mental Hospital.

In Bhaktapur, a water booth has been installed at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital. Posters giving instructions for use have been pasted on the machine. The users and others have lauded the initiative as a good move to provide people with easy access to safe drinking water. A microbus driver Laj Shrestha, who tend to visit the water booth at Shankhadhar Park (Ratnapark) for water, praised the initiative. "I used to pay Rs 20 or Rs 25 to buy a bottle of water to drink. Nowadays, it has become easier and cheaper to get water from the machine," he said.

Bhawani Karki, who has frequented the machine at Shankapark for water, also lauded the move but pinpointed that. some problems like the machine failing to toss paper cups and coins being stuck should be addressed.

The Water ATMs were launched sometime back by the Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB) in cooperation with the respective metropolis with the aim of providing people easy access to safe drinking water.

RSS