282 पटक हेरिएको 
Sanitation does not only mean whether a household has a toilet or not. Real sanitation means that the entire sanitation value chain from the safe containment, transportation, treatment, and final disposal of human excreta after the toilet is used is properly and safely managed.
In most cities of Nepal, data are available on how many households have toilets. However, there is very little reliable and detailed information on where the waste from those toilets goes, how it is emptied, whether safe methods are used during emptying, and whether the waste is dumped into the environment or taken to treatment facilities.
This is why:
1. To Understand the Real Sanitation Situation
At present, in many places, sanitation is considered to be good simply based on the fact that households have toilets. But the reality is that in many cases septic tanks are leaking, in some places waste is directly discharged into drains or rivers, and in others tanks have been used for years without ever being emptied.
In such situations, merely having a toilet cannot be considered an indicator of safe sanitation. Unless we understand where the waste from toilets ultimately goes and how the entire management cycle functions, it is impossible to know the true sanitation status of a city.
To identify such hidden but seriously harmful problems, micro-level data are essential, says Dr. Mingma Gyaljen Sherpa, Director of 500B Solutions.
2. To Identify Health Risks
Poor management of human excreta increases the risk of waterborne and sanitation-related diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, and jaundice. Without data, it is only guesswork to determine which settlements or wards are at higher risk, where groundwater is being contaminated, and where children and elderly people are more affected.
Once micro-level data are available, risk-prone areas can be identified, special attention can be given to them, and preventive measures can be taken in time, Dr. Sherpa explains.
3. To Prepare Proper Plans and Realistic Budgets
When municipalities prepare large and long-term plans such as expanding septic tank emptying services, constructing fecal sludge treatment plants, or extending sewer networks, if the real situation is unknown, such plans may remain only on paper.
Only when there is solid data on how many households have septic tanks, how many are connected to sewers, and how many areas have no services at all, can needs-based planning and budget allocation be done. This helps prevent misuse of resources and makes interventions more effective, according to Dr. Sherpa.
4. To Ensure Proper Use of Investment and Resources
With limited budgets and resources, it is not possible to invest equally everywhere at the same time. Data are the main basis for deciding which wards have more severe problems, where machines are urgently needed, and where treatment plants or transfer stations should be built.
If decisions are made without data, there is a risk that more investment will go to areas with fewer problems while areas with more serious problems receive less attention. Micro-level data help ensure that investments are focused in the right places, says Dr. Sherpa.
5. To Achieve the Goal of Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS)
The core spirit of Citywide Inclusive Sanitation is to ensure safe and dignified sanitation for all city residents rich and poor, formal and informal settlements, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and children.
Dr. Sherpa says, “Without knowing which groups and which areas of the city are not receiving services, inclusive planning is not possible. Therefore, micro-level data are the foundation for achieving the goal of Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS).”
6. To Build a Basis for Policy Formulation and Monitoring
To compare today’s situation with future improvements, baseline data are needed, which are generated through such studies. Without this, it will be impossible to answer the question, “How much improvement has been achieved?”
Data obtained from such studies also help policymakers formulate new policies, guidelines, and standards. In addition, the same data become the basis for monitoring and evaluating whether investments and programs implemented in the future have been effective or not.
Lalitpur Metropolitan City to Conduct Micro-Level Sanitation Survey
To fulfill these objectives, Lalitpur Metropolitan City is going to collect very detailed micro-level data on citywide inclusive sanitation.
Under the “Scaling Citywide Inclusive Sanitation Service Systems” program, implemented with financial and technical support from the Ministry of Water Supply, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), WaterAid Nepal, and the Municipal Association of Nepal, surveys will be conducted in selected sample households, schools, hospitals, and public toilets within Lalitpur Metropolitan City.
Under this program, data will be collected to assess the citywide inclusive sanitation situation in one municipality each from Nepal’s seven provinces.
The program is being implemented in Mechi Municipality of Koshi Province, Lahan Municipality of Madhesh Province, Lalitpur Metropolitan City of Bagmati Province, Gorkha Municipality of Gandaki Province, Ghorahi Municipality of Lumbini Province, Sharada Municipality of Karnali Province, and Godawari Municipality of Sudurpashchim Province.
Under the program, the Ministry of Water Supply, Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management, WaterAid Nepal, and the Municipal Association of Nepal are providing various technical support to the municipalities.
This program is being implemented with financial support from the Gates Foundation, with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) as the executing agency.
