A preliminary study of the second phase of Melamchi Water Supply Project, which is expected to be completed by 2022, has shown that the project can generate two megawatts electricity.

In the second phase, the project aims to supply an additional 340,000,000 litres of water per day to Kathmandu Valley from Yangre and Larke rivers of Sindhupalchowk.

Deputy Executive Director at Melamchi Water Supply Development Board Bhoj Bikram Thapa said, “Our preliminary calculation shows that two megawatts electricity can be produced from the project’s second phase site.”

Thapa, however, said that the project’s first priority would be to supply water and the possibility of power generation would be considered only after finalising detailed engineering design. The draft of detailed engineering design will be prepared by February, he added.

Only 500-metre stretch of the 27.5 km water tunnel under the first phase of the project remains to be excavated now and project officials express confidence that they would be able to meet the deadline for supplying water to the Valley.

The 27.5 km project tunnel comprises three stretches — Sundarijal-Sindhu, Sindhu-Gyalthum and Gyalthum-Ambathan covering 9.5 km, 8 km and 9 km respectively. Of the three adit tunnels, the longest stretch Sundarijal-Sidhu, which covers 9.5 km, was completed on December 28 last year.

Thapa said second phase construction would start immediately after the detailed study report was prepared. For the second phase of the project, nine-kilometre tunnel to the Yangri River and 2 km tunnel to the Larke River will be built to channel water to the Melamchi River. Similarly, 15 km of the 25.5 km access road has already been constructed.

Started on 21 December 2000, the Melamchi Water Supply Project is assisted by the Asian Development Bank and aims to reduce drinking water scarcity in the Valley.

The daily demand of water in Kathmandu Valley stands at 370,000,000 litres, while daily supply stands at around 110,000,000 litres. Of the 110,000,000 litres of water supplied per day, Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited admitted that more than 30 per cent of water leaks through pipelines laid during the Rana regime.