Self-supply as a safely managed water service: comparative analysis and predictors of water service outcomes in rural Nepal

Abstract

Abstract Self-supply is ubiquitous in rural areas of South Asia, including in Nepal, where more than a third of the country’s population obtain their drinking water from private tubewells. However, there has been little research into the service levels delivered by self-supply or their performance relative to public water services. Drawing on data from 1,289 tubewells in Sarlahi District in the Terai region of Nepal, this study compared the performance of private tubewells against community tubewells in terms of water quality and availability; and identified factors that predict these service levels. Compared with community tubewells, private tubewells had significantly higher odds of providing water that was free from contamination and available in sufficient quantities when needed (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.19-3.77, p=0.011). However, inequities were evident among private tubewell users, with Dalits and disadvantaged ethnic groups having significantly lower odds of a safely managed water service (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.54-0.85, p<0.001). Among private tubewell users, shallower wells and open defecation were significantly associated with the presence of E. coli. The results show that self-supply is capable of providing a safely managed water service and could play an important role in efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6. However, targeted support should be directed towards disadvantaged households to safeguard water quality and strengthen service reliability. In particular, programmes that support the installation of deeper tubewells and end open defecation may bring water quality benefits in areas where self-supply is practised.