Updates on Industrial Wastewater
management in NEPAL
Surya Dev Gupta
Water and Energy Commission Secretariat
The 18th WEPA Annual Meeting
8 February 2023

Nepal in General Mountainous Country: Himal/Mountain = 43%, Hills = 30% and Terai Plain = 27%

Federal Structure of
Democratic Republic of
Nepal(6 Metropolitan cities, 11
Submetropolitan cities, 276 Municipalities
460 Rural municipalites)

Population : 29.19 Million(Census 2021)

Major Attraction

1. Overview of industrial waste water as pollution
sourcesIndustry Statistics of Nepal (As of 2021-2022)
CATEGORY

NO. OF INDUSTRY

NO. OF EMPLOYMENT% of industry nos.

AGRO AND FORESTRY BASED

521

39,432

6%

CONSTRUCTURE
ENERGY BASEDINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASEDMANUFACTURING
MINERALSERVICE
TOURISM

65
501
93
3280
72
2310
1922
8764

4,245
38,9785,850
348,623
7,387
134,816
78,176657507

1%
6%
1%
37%
1%
26%
22%

AGRO AND FORESTRY
BASED, 521, 6%

CONSTRUCTURE , 65, 1%

ENERGY BASED, 501, 6%

NO. OF INDUSTRY Category wise
(Total 8764)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYBASED, 93, 1%

TOURISM, 1922,22%
SERVICE , 2310, 26%

MINERAL , 72, 1%

MANUFACTURING ,3280, 37%

1. Overview of industrial waste water as pollution
sourcesIndustry Statistics of Nepal (As of 2021-2022) Contd…

Province Details

No. of Industry

Employment no.

Province No. 1
Madhesh Province
Bagmati Province
Gandaki Province
Lumbini Province
Karnali province
Sudur Paschim Province

823
590
5660
808
668
81
134
8764

84325
62648
383849
38830
66522
9107
12226
657507

Karnali province, 81, 1%
Lumbini Province, 668, 8%% of industry no. by
province
9%
7%
65%
9%
8%
1%
2%

Sudur Paschim
Province , 134, 1%
Province No. 1, 823, 9%

Gandaki Province, 808, 9%Madhesh Province, 590, 7%

No. of Industry(Province wise)
Bagmati Province, 5660, 65%

1. Overview of industrial waste water aspollution sources
Major Industry types as pollution Sourcein NEPAL

S.No.
1

Industry type

5

Leather processing
Pharmaceuticals,
medicinal chemical
products
Beverage (without
alcohol)
Fermentation Industries(Beer and liquor)
Dairy

6

Sugar mills

2
3
4

S.No.

Industry type

8

Soap

9

Vegetable ghee and oil

10

Hospital

11

Paint
Surface Finishing(Galvanization &Electroplated)

7

Textiles12

Source : KII with DoEnV Environment Inspector (G. Lamichhane)1. Overview of industrial waste water aspollution sources
Major Impacts :• Official Publication of such is N/A.
• Impacts that has started to be noticeable are :• Pollution of water bodies with chemicals, heavy metals or othertoxic substances• Aquatic Habitat Destruction• Nutrient pollution (nitrogen and phosphorus)• Public health issues (skin irritation, respiratory problems etc.)

2. Regulatory framework for industrial waste
water management
S.
No.

Documents

Enactment
Date

Publishing
Authority

1

Environment
Protection Act

11th Oct2019

2

Environment
15th June
Protection Rules 2020

• To address federalism of the country inFederalParliament environment protection sector• Responsibilities are also assigned to localof Nepallevel and province level Govt.

3

Standard for
Drinking Water
Quality

16th June
2022

Remarks

Govt. of
Nepal

• Industry itself are made accountablethrough self reporting as approved IEE/EIA• Some Industry threshold are updated (e.g.
leather industry if processing <=15k sqft
needs IEE and for >15k sqft needs EIA(former is 10k)
• Role of Envmt. Inspector is limited

Ministry of
Water
Supply,Govt. of
Nepal

Customization of Global drinking
water quality standards as per local
condition.

2. Regulatory framework for industrial waste
water management Contd…
S.
No.

Documents

4

Water Resource 13th July
Policy2020

5

Water Supply
and Sanitation
Act

6

Integrated
National
Water
Resources
Act (Draft)

Publication Publishing
Date
Authority

WECS/MoE • Integrated Water Resource
Management (IWRM) Concept
WRI

6th Sep 2022 Federal
Parliamentof Nepal-

Remarks

Under
drafting/
MoEWRI• To make easy availability of clean
and quality water supply.
• For Sewerage and Wastewater
Management
To Implement IWRM (Integrated
Water Resource Management)
covering all aspects of Water
Resources.

3. Industrial effluent standards
Current industrial effluent standards• No further Changes in previous Effluent Standards After2012• Industry wise effluent standard has been set by the
Ministry (Now MoFE)of Effluent
Standard as categoryof industry : Date of Enforcement
S. ListCategoryof Industry
No. ofNo.
Parameters
1

Beverage without Alcohol5

13th Aug 20122

Pharmaceutical5(Comp.)+ 8 (Add)13th Aug 20123

Surface Finishing (Galvanizing
and Electroplated)

13

12th Aug 2010

4

Paints16

12th Aug 2010

5

Dairy

13

23rd Jun 2010

6

Sugar Mill5

23rd Jun 20107

Textile4

23rd Jun 2010

Soap
4
Source : Collection of Environment Standards 2018, MoFE
8

23rd Jun 2010

3. Industrial effluent standards contd…
List of Effluent Standard as category of industry contd…..
S.
Category of IndustryNo.

No. ofParameters

Date of Enforcement

9Standards for Industrial waste to bedischarged in public sewer line

27

23rd Jun 201010

Effluent Standards for industrial
wastewater from its wastewater
treatment plant to surface water bodies

25

23rd Jun 2010

11

Generic Industrial Effluent Standards
discharging in surface water bodies.

25

30th Apr 2001

12

Leather

11

30th Apr 2001

13

Wool Processing

9

30th Apr 2001

14

Fermentation

30th Apr 2001

15

Vegetable ghee and oil

3
5

16

Paper and Pulp

3

30th Apr 2001

Source : Collection of Environment Standards 2018, MoFE

30th Apr 2001

4. Status of effluent monitoring/inspection
The responsibility for effluent monitoring
Stage

Responsibility

Effective
ness

Remarks

BeforeEnforcement of
New EPA (2019) &EPR (2020) i.e.
when EPA (1996) &EPR(1997) in action

Sole Responsibility Moreof Dept. of Env
Effective
under MoFE ofCentralGovernment
through Envmt.
Inspector• Has authority to impose
fine.
• Has authority to stop theprocess at spot if not
meeting the standards.

After Enforcementof New EPA (2019)& EPA (2020)

Responsibility isshared among
local level Govt. ,Provincial Govt &Federal Govt.

Less
Effective• Authorize only to instruct
for correction and noaction at spot.
• Lack of capacity tomonitor/inspect byprovincial and local Govt.

4. Status of effluent monitoring/inspection
Effluent monitoring frequency and the target industries
Stage

Frequency

Constraint

Target Industries

BeforeEnforcementof New EPA(2019) & EPR(2020) i.e.
when EPA(1996) &EPR(1997) inactionRegular but
few in no.
(Specified in
Annualprogram as per
the workloadof available
Envmt
Inspector)• Limited Resources (Budget, • Industries with approved
EIA/IEE studies.
Manpower and their
Capacity, logistics facilities) • Hospitals (>100 beds),Leather(>10000 sqft Daily processing),
at central governemnt
Brewary ( >0.5 Million litre
Daily capacity) Sugar Mill(>3000 MT Daily),
Pharmaceutical (>50 MT Daily
Bulk drug formulation)

After
Enforcementof New EPA(2019) & EPA(2020)

Comparatively
less Regular(Specified in
Annualprogram as per
the workloadof available
Envmt
Inspector)• Limited Resources(Budget, Manpower andtheir Capacity, logistics
facilities) at federal level• Almost NO Resources(Budget, Manpower andtheir Capacity, logistics
facilities) at Local andProvince level• Industries with approved
EIA/IEE studies.
• Hospitals (>100 beds),Leather(>15000 sqft Daily processing),
Brewary ( >0.5 Million litre
Daily capacity) Sugar Mill(>3000 MT Daily),
Pharmaceutical (>50 MT Daily
Bulk drug formulation)

5. Compliance with regulations for effluent
standards
Number of industries inspected in 2018/19
Industry type &TargetPerformed Activities

Remarks

Hospital, Hotels,
Leather,
Pharmaceutical in 11
districts (individual
Nos. N/A)
Monitoring &Inspection of total
120 Industries• Overall monitoring and inspection• Total 101 industry inspectedagainst set standards and approved• Suggestion provided to 28
clauses of Environmental Studies.
• 60 called for clarification• 40 clarification received and • Specific data for industrial wastewaterinspection Not Available
out of that 35• By Monitoring & Inspection section ofrecommended for
DoEnv
necessary action to theministry.

Hospital and otherindustries• Sample collection of 34
industries and their testing atlaboratory.

• Results not published• Used for compliance check with set
standard• Provide suggestion• By Pollution Control and Regulation section of
DoEnv

Water bodies in andnear Chitwan
National Park• Sample collection and Testingof 40 sites

Source : Annual Progress Report 2018/19, DoEnv• To check aquatic life sustainability in National
Park area• By Pollution Control and Regulation section of
DoEnv

5. Compliance with regulations for effluent
standards contd..
1. No official publication available for Compliance/ non compliance with
effluent standards.
2. NON compliance with effluent Quality :•3.

Inspector will give instruction to correct and correcting will be dutyof the industry as per Rule 45(2) of EPR (2020)

In Case of receiving Complain with claim against Industry (Rules 41, 42 &43 of EPR (2020))•

Formation of a committee including respective expert within 15 days.

•

Reporting of assessment Claim based on type, size, impact in both short and longterm by the committee within 30 days.

•

Decision based on the report for the claim and Informing to the Applicant and therelated industry withing 60 days•

Claim should be paid by within 60 days (including 30 days term extension withappropriate reasoning•

If not paid within the time limit, Authority can auction the property of the industry to
pay such amount

4. Fine upto US$ 11000 and/or Blacklisting upto 5 years for not complying
approved IEE/EIA (includes effluent standard compliance) by authority
who approves them. (Section 6, Clause 35 of EPA 2019)

6. Issues and challenges, future targets/plans forproper industrial wastewater management
Latest Issues & Chalanges need to addressed:•

Limited Resources (Budget, Manpower, laboratory facilities, tools andequipments) at Federal Level *•Almost No Resources (Budget, Manpower, laboratory facilities, tools
and equipments) at Local Level and Provincial Level.

•

Awareness issues (sensitivity & technology) at Local Level Government•

Lack of Capacity Development of available manpower with growing
technology *•Lack of Specific guideline for inspection except the effluent standards *•Land acquisition issue for treatment plant.

*Source : Annual Progress Report 2018, DoEnv

6. Issues and challenges, future targets/plans forproper industrial wastewater management
Present Condition and future plans of sewerage and on-site sanitation

Source : Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Data Collection Survey on Water Supply and Waste water Sector in Nepal, JICA, Yachiyo
Engineering Co., Ltd. November 2019

7. Recent development in water environmental
governance
1. Water Resource Policy (2020) has been issued on 13th July
2020 (8 Purposes & 11 Strategies)
Relevant Purposes & Strategies :Purpose no. 3 : Protection, Development, Management and Regulation of
Water Resource Sector based on Study, Research , data & facts•••

Expand study & research in Water Resource Sector
Record keeping , Analysis and maximize use of gained knowledge and data
Capacity Development of related institution and manpower

Purpose no. 4: Protection, Development and use of Water Resource Sector incoordinative approach with Federal, Provincial and Local Govt.
•

Clarifying role and liability of Federal, Provincial and Local level government incoordinative approach for use & management of water resources

Purpose no. 6 : Development and use of Water Resource with least impact on
Economic, Social and Environmental Sector•

Developing and using Water Resource with least impact on Social, Cultural andEnvironmental Sector

7. Recent development in water environmental
governance
2. Drinking Water Quality Standard 2022
(Issued by Ministry of Water Supply on 16th June 2022)

Compulsory Test
(19 parameters)

Additional Test (9parameters)

Must be done at least once in a year
within five year after enfomrcement

1. Turbidity
2. pH
3. Color

4. Tasteodor

1.Iron2.Manganese
3.Arsenic
4.Fluoride
5.Amonia
6.Chloride
7.Sulphate

8.Nitrate
9.Copper
10.Zinc5.

(to be done when prone to industrial
activities, human settlement, and otherharmful contaminant.

&Elect.
Conductivity

11.Alumunium

12. Total Hardness
13.Residual Chlorine

E.Coli

Total Dissolved Solid

Physical Parameter

Chemical Parameter

Microbiological
Parmeter

1.
2.
3.
4.

Calcium
Lead
Cadmium
Chromium

5. Cyanide
6. Mercury
7. Nitrites

Total Coliform

7. Recent development in water environmental
governance
2. Drinking Water Quality Standard 2022
• Parameters are separated HBGV & NHBGV (HBGV : Health
Based Guideline Value)• HBGV related to direct related to human health• NHBGV is for aesthetic and social acceptance of water• Concentration Limits for parameter not included here (e.g.
pesticides and their residual) shall be compliant with WHO
Drinking Water Quality Guideline 2017
• Previous Drinking Water Quality Standard 2006 is Repealed.

7. Recent development in water environmental
governanceIndustrial Wastewater Management goals/targets

Periodic Plan (15th Plan, 2018/19-2023/24)

2023/2495

2022/23%2021/22

Ratio of untreatedIndustrial
wastewater

2020/21

Unit

Target2019/20

Result indicator

Base
year
(2018
/19)

90

85

80

75

70

Responsibility- Environment Pollution Testing Lab in each Province.
- Annual Target of Industrial wastewater treatment

MoFE: 15 Periodic plan (2018/19-2023/24) , NPC
No progress has been recorded in this indicator during Mid
Term Review (Mid Term Review Report, Jan 2023)

Sourceth7. Recent development in water environmental
governanceIndustrial Wastewater Management goals/targets contd..
SDG commitment and Progress :• Without proper enforcement of regulatory mechanisms, the situation isunlikely to improve.
Big Gap between SDG and current achievement !!!
Source: NEPAL: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS PROGRESS ASSESSMENT REPORT 2016–2019 , NPC

7. Recent development in water environmental
governance
Projects

Major Objective

Progress

1. Study ofWater Pollutionof River System
of Nepal: First
Phase Koshi
River Basin Area

To assess pollution level and major Study is under procurement
polluting source of koshi river and process through WECS with costing(0.113 Million USD)
its tributary

2.Preparation ofRiver Basin Plan

To Preparation of Integrated River
Basin Plan
To prepare Strategic
Environmental and Social
Assesment
To get Cumulative Environmental
impact on water bodies••

Study is expected complete byJune, 2023
Cumulative Environmental
impact on water bodies will beavailable

7. Recent development in water environmental
governanceOngoing Wastewater Management Project

Projects

Major Activites

Progress

3.
Kathmandu
Valley Sewer
Management
Project

To minimize effect ofeffluent to water bodies
by construction ofWastewater Treatment
Plant

In Operation :Guheshwari WWT operating at 22-23 MLD (Cap. 32.4 MLD)
In Testing & Commissioning Phase :Dhobighat WWT
1 unit out of 2 units@37 MLD each
Under Construction & PlanningDhobighat WWTP 1 unit out of 2 units@37 MLD each
Sallaghari WWTP (Cap: 14.2 MLD)
Balkumari WWTP (Cap: 17.5 MLD)
Planned WWTP :Gokarna (Cap. 3 MLD )Kodku (Cap. 17.5 MLD first phase)
Chalnakhel (Cap. 66.2 MLD)•
To stop direct disposalof sewer and effluent to•water bodies byconstruction ofIntercepting Sewer line
on both bank of theriversCompletion of 22 km Intercepting Sewer Pipe line
(KUKL/PID)
Hampered due to land acquisition issues