By CK Khanal

Kathmandu, Jan. 15: With the success of a pilot water ATM established at the premises of Lalitpur Metropolitan City Office, Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB) is setting up 15 new water ATMs in different parts of the Kathmandu Valley.
Executive director of the KVWSMB Sanjeev Bikram Rana said that the board was establishing additional 15 water ATMs in different areas within the current fiscal year in the valley to provide safe drinking water to public at a low cost.
Rana said that locations for the establishment of 15 water ATMs are yet to be finalised. He, however, said that such water ATMs would be established in the areas where there was flow of large number of people.
Providing safe drinking water in the urban area through water ATMs has been included in Digital Nepal Framework 2076 as an initiative towards making digital Nepal. “We are targeting to establish water ATMs in some hospitals, heritage sites including Pashupatinath, Swayombhunath and Bauddhanath and durbar squares area, Rana said.
He said that the water ATM established in Lalitpur Metropolitan Office premises was being administered by the KVWSMB. After the establishment of new water ATMs, it will be given to the private sector for its operation, he said.
The board has also a plan of handing over the operation of water ATMs to concerned authority after the operating for three months, he said.
Currently, the ATM at Lalitpur offers 200 ml water at Rs. 2 and 1 liter water at the cost of Rs. 10. Around 400 to 500 cups of water are being consumed from this ATM every day.
Rana said that after the establishment of more water ATMs with 1 liter drinking water bottles would be available at Rs. 5. Rana said that the ATM comprises water treatment plant to make the water safe for the drinking purpose. Currently, the ATMs serve only normal temperature water but new ATMs will offer both normal temperature and cold water, he said.
Though the overhead cost of operating ATM is high, it will be cost effective after adding 15 more water ATMs and supply of drinking water from Melamchi Project, he said. He said that use of water ATMs would also reduce the production and use of plastic bottles for drinking water purpose.
Joint secretary at the Ministry of Drinking Water Ritesh Kumar Shakya said that the government had a plan to encourage private sector in establishing water ATMs. He said that Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) was importing 50,000 pieces of automated meter reading (AMR) machines to distribute in the Kathmandu Valley.
Though these AMR machines are not fully smart, it can be upgraded into smart reading machines, said Milan Shakya, general manager of KUKL.
Distribution of smart metering in water has been included in digital Nepal framework initiative to be implemented within three years.