Role of groundwater in the disaster preparedness plan- a case study of Kathmandu valley

Abstract

 Groundwater supply is an essential component in any disaster preparedness plan for the Kathmandu valley. Currently, groundwater supply contributes about 40% of the total urban water supply in the Kathmandu valley. In the event of natural disasters like earthquakes, groundwater may be the only water resource available. Considering the existing conditions and the facilities available at the abstraction points, however, reliability of this resource being extracted and put into use in the post disaster period however needs some serious planning and preparedness. Currently though large number of groundwater abstraction points are available in the vicinity of the the proposed Internal Displacement Person (IDP) sites, most of the sites do not have any preparedness plan in case of disaster.