189 पटक हेरिएको 
Sarlahi: Phulkumari Devi of Pidari, Haripur Municipality–9, Sarlahi, never needs repeated reminders to pay her drinking water tariff. Within a week of the Haripur Water Supply and Sanitation Management Board staff taking the meter reading, she visits the office to clear her dues.
The Board has a provision of offering a 4% discount if the tariff is paid within seven days of the meter reading. Similarly, consumers who deposit more than NPR 100 in advance receive a 3% discount. Phulkumari has already benefitted from the 4% discount multiple times, as she never delays her tariff payment.
Like her, the majority of consumers who pay their water tariff on time are those from low-income households. According to the Board’s accountant, Kamal Adhikari, low-income families tend to worry about possible penalties and the additional financial burden a delay may create. This concern encourages them to pay on time.
Although the community had previously been using water from handpumps without any charge, and there were concerns that collecting tariffs after introducing a paid water supply system might be challenging, the situation today is completely different. “Low-income families have not delayed payments to the extent of incurring penalties. Instead, it is the relatively well-off households who tend to delay their payments,” said accountant Adhikari.
The Board has fixed a tariff of NPR 150 for consumption up to 10 units. Consumption beyond that is charged at NPR 20 per additional unit. This tariff rate was approved by the municipal executive meeting of Haripur Municipality on Baisakh 31, 2081.
As per the rules, consumers who pay between the 8th and 14th day after the meter reading are required to pay only the billed amount. However, payments made on or after the 15th day incur an additional 10% charge.
“We are people who earn our living through daily labor. We may not always have money, but water is essential,” says Phulkumari Devi. “If we don’t pay the tariff, how will the water service operate? That’s why we always set money aside for water.”
According to accountant Adhikari, participation in timely tariff payment from low-income households is significantly higher. Board records also show that low-income families are more responsible in paying on time compared to households with regular income sources.
Tariff as the Foundation of Sustainability
Because of tariff collection, the institution has been able to expand distribution pipelines, carry out regular leakage repairs, and ensure routine water quality testing—measures that have increased the reliability of the service. Board Chairperson Haribahadur Thapa says that only with regular tariff collection can high-quality services be ensured.
He explains that tariff revenue is essential to cover maintenance costs, water production expenses, electricity bills, staff salaries, and administrative expenses. Regular tariff payment ultimately benefits consumers themselves, he added, urging all users to continue paying regularly.
The commitment shown by low-income families in paying their tariff on time has also taken the form of social responsibility. The value of drinking water is now being measured not just in monetary terms but also in consumer commitment and accountability. The responsibility demonstrated by consumers has brought new hope for the sustainability of water services.
Integrated System Improves Water Supply
The Haripur Water Supply and Sanitation Management Board was established in 2079 under the Alternative Management Model project implemented in partnership between Oxfam Nepal and Bagmati Sewa Samaj. The Board integrated the previously separate Pidari, Sano Jagatpur, and Indrapur Water Supply and Sanitation User Committees into a single management structure to ensure regular water supply.
So far, the Board has been supplying regular drinking water to 1,094 households. The Board aims to supply piped drinking water to all households within Haripur Municipality. According to Chairperson Thapa, a total of 8,350 households reside within Haripur Municipality.
