KATHMANDU: Majority of Kathmandu denizens use drinking water of jars in belief that drinking water supplied in pipelines is not safe and hygiene. Many consumers still drink pipe supplied water by boiling.
The revealed reports justified that jar waters are also contaminated with coliform and harmful chemicals like iron.
The government has set standards of bottled and jar water having nil harmful bacteria and 6.5 to 8.0 PH scale of acid. However, the government’s monitoring and law implementation mechanisms are weak. The jar water labeled as purified and safe is not drinkable.
People know about the contamination in water but they are obliged to use it in absence of options. The consumers share their views with Face-To-Face about jar water as they say.
I know its undrinkable but no alternative: Sunita Bishunkhi (25)
It is compulsion for us who live in rented rooms. We have heard news about contaminated jar water but there is no option of it. Why are these water companies selling unhealthy water not punished? They must think about health of consumers. It is crime to kill consumers for making money. Who cares about us? We have to be careful ourselves. I use jar water by filtering and boiling.
95 percent jar water unhygienic: Pabhav Baniya (25)
My many friends fell sick by drinking processed water. We cannot drink jar water confidently. Only five percent of jar water available in Kathmandu is safe, I think so. Remaining 95 percent of jar water is contaminated. We are deprived of pure drinking water but forced to drink it as there is no option. I use it either by boiling or using medicine. Here is acute shortage of drinking water. We cannot examine which water is safe or not. It is the responsibility of the government.
I have found insects in jar water: Bhagwati Shah (45)
There is not such a condition to be assured for drinking jar water. I have found insect in a jar I purchased. I don’t care about the water industry. The outer part of jar also looks dirty. I don’t like to buy jar water but we can’t live without water. Why is the government mute spectator for taking action against such companies?
I am not assured of safety of jar water: Debendra Bam (27)
We believe that jar water is safe. However, when news reports were published about contamination in jar water frequently, I am not assured of safety of jar water. There is shortage of drinking water in Kathmandu. Water from taps is more dangerous. So, we have to depend on jar water. The doctors also suggest boiling water before drinking but it is not possible because boiled water cannot be available anytime when we are away from home. Therefore, the government must take care of quality of drinking water.
I buy believing safety of jar water: Sharmila Paudel (27)
We drink jar water believing that it is safe and pure. It looks pure and clean from outside of jar but we don’t know contamination in water. We boil water before drinking. However, it is not possible away from home. We drink jar water directly.
