Climate change impacts on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems in Nepal: users' perception of community-managed WASH systems

Abstract

Climate change (CC) adds challenges in delivering reliable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. This research assessed CC impacts on community-managed WASH systems in Nepal through surveys in three municipalities of three districts (i.e., Jumla, Baglung, and Sindhuli) representing three distinct physiographic regions: high mountain, middle mountain, and hill of Nepal. This study followed a quantitative approach using a questionnaire survey. It assessed the perceptions of 103 Water Users and Sanitation Committee (WUSC) members on CC, its causes, and impacts on sustainability, alongside insights from 103 caretakers regarding its impacts on WASH system functionality. Results were validated with historical climatic data (1994–2024) analysis and found consistent with perceptions. Respondents reported that 63% of water sources showed depletion, and 5% dried up, affecting water availability, reliability, and quality. Furthermore, seasonal turbidity influences 62% of water quality, phenomena such as floods and landslides damage WASH infrastructures, and droughts diminish water sources, adversely impacting the WASH system's functionality. Respondents experienced financial, institutional, environmental, technical, and social constraints that further impeded sustainability, with only 3% of WASH systems achieving satisfactory performance, 74% achieving average, and 23% performing poorly. These findings provide insights for policymakers and practitioners in formulating strategies for developing climate-resilient WASH systems in Nepal.