NTU Singapore & Nepal scientists collaborate to ensure safe drinking water
Scientists will now concentrate on studying the water quality of the Bagmati River, which runs through Kathmandu.
KATHMANDU: NTU Singapore and Nepalese scientists will work together to provide safe drinking water.
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Nepal have built a clean drinking water facility for school families at Sri Janta Secondary School in Sukrauli, Nawalparasi, to prevent health damage caused by arsenic poisoning.
The Terai region is home to nearly half of Nepal’s population, and 90 percent of them rely on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. According to research, the underground water in the Terai region is contaminated with arsenic, a cancer-causing toxic chemical that endangers public health.
Although arsenic from drinking water has a fatal effect on health, people have not taken it seriously. The clean water facility consists of three 1000 liter tanks arranged in descending order. The first tank helps in water purification through sedimentation.
“When we consider long-term operation and maintenance, the design of the arsenic removal filter system is simple,” said Professor Shani Sander, executive director of NTU’s Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute.
In addition to ensuring community access to sustainable clean water, the project team will launch education campaigns in schools to educate and raise awareness about arsenic-induced health risks.
Scientists will now concentrate on studying the water quality of the Bagmati River, which runs through Kathmandu. The study’s findings are expected to determine the extent of water pollution and aid in future advocacy for river protection.
