Stone spouts (dhungedhara) seen in different places of Kathmandu Valley are not only fine examples of unique Nepali architecture, but were one of the most reliable sources of water for the denizens. Dry and abandoned, some of these stone spouts have disappeared while some have become dumping sites.
Some communities, realizing the importance of these stone spouts, have shown initiatives to conserve the structures that are also our heritage, however, many are still to realise the significance they bear.

A sad, sad tale
Sundhara, one of the famous stone spouts located by the side of the historic Dharahara, has turned into a pool of stagnant water. With tap remaining dry throughout the year, this spout has lost its glory.
"Sundhara fulfilled our water requirements in the past. I remember how the heavy flow of water from the spout made it difficult for us to bathe directly underneath the tap," recounted Baburaj Pode, one of the residents of Tebahal, who spent his childhood enjoying playing in the water that gushed from Sundhara. "It makes me feel very sad when I see the present situation. Water hardly trickles from Sundhara which had supplied drinking water for more than three centuries," Pode lamented.
This sad story is not just limited to Sundhara—many other stone spouts inside Kathmandu Valley are suffering a similar fate. According to the data produced by NGO Forum for Urban Water and Sanitation (NGOFUWS) in 2009, 33 stone spouts in Kathmandu district have vanished while 34 have dried up; seven in Lalitpur have already disappeared while seven are on the verge of disappearing.

All dried up
Stone spouts and dug wells were the major sources of water for people in Kathmandu Valley. After households got pipe water supply, these traditional sources were abandoned. "After getting water supplied at home, people forgot about stonespouts," said Prakash Amatya, Executive Director, NGOFUWS. In addition, the water sources for stone spouts started depleting and got destroyed due to the growing population.
Hydro-geologist Dr. Suresh Das Shrestha stated, "After people couldn't get enough water, they began using underground water that lead to the lowering of the underground water table. The level of shallow aquifer—the only source of water for stone spouts—decreased making the stone spouts go dry." Besides the haphazard extraction of water, the unplanned construction has also had an impact on the existence of these spouts. "Construction of very deep foundation of buildings these days have also blocked the flow of water to the stone spouts," Shrestha added.


Alok Hiti: A model for all
Before pipe supply came to Ward number 22 of Lalitpur Sub Metropolitan City, the locals used to collect water from the traditional stone spouts—Alok Hiti. With the piped water supply, people abandoned this stone spout, which then turned into a dumping site.
"The water scarcity problem got worse, so we had no other option but to go back to the deserted Alok Hiti," recalled Sushil Shrestha, President of Alok Hiti Conservation and Water Supply Users' Committee. On the initiative of the local residents, the restoration of Alok Hiti began in 2003 and for the last seven years, they have been using it for all their water needs. "The excess water is tapped six hours daily and collected which is then distributed to households through the pipeline system," Shrestha informed.

Need for conservation
As per the enumeration and mapping study of traditional stone spouts in five municipal areas of Kathmandu Valley carried out by NGOFUWS, 389 stone spouts are supplying 2.9 million litres per day (MLD) water in the dry season and 7.7 MLD in the rainy season. "Stone spouts, thus, are an independent water source for at least 10 per cent population of the Kathmandu Valley," Amatya pointed out.
Conservation of stone spouts in turn leads to groundwater conservation. "In order to revive the stone spouts of their localities, people at first should protect groundwater from being depleted, which will lead to conservation of groundwater," argued Dr. Shrestha. But the task of conservation is not easy. "There are no provisions to restrict and regulate constructions that are disrupting the natural flow of underground water," stressed Amatya adding, "A strong act is required to address the issues of traditional water sources and water system properly." Citing the example of Alok Hiti, Amatya further opined, "We can revive other stone spouts if communities themselves are aware and active about conserving the traditional water sources in their areas."

Source: The Himalayan Times, 21 May, 2010