Tshalungna village adopts nature-based solution to ensure reliable water

YK Poudel

Tshalungna, Thimphu—Around 25 villagers from Kimgang have come together at the water source to clean and complete their newly constructed 5.8-kilometre water supply system, which will benefit more than 48 households.

While some villagers are already benefiting from the new water supply, residents in lower elevations are expected to receive access within the week.

The Tarayana Foundation has played a crucial role in this project by introducing a nature-based solution to address water shortage and promote spring-shed management. Initially, the Foundation conducted a feasibility study in consultation with the villagers to ensure the project’s success.

Gyem Bidha, a 49-year-old farmer, says that the new initiative has resolved the village’s long-standing water issue. “The previous supply was built over 40 years ago.”

She further explains that mudslides and flash floods during the summer, along with frost in winter, severely limited the villagers’ access to water for both irrigation and drinking. “Now, we have a clean, abundant supply of fresh drinking water, thanks to the Foundation’s thoughtful intervention.”

A 27-year-old resident, Choki, notes that the villagers previously suffered from various water-borne diseases due to unhygienic water sources. “Diarrhea, typhoid, skin infections, and dysentery were common in the village.”

She said that with the new supply in place, water management has improved greatly.

Women from the village now visit the source monthly to ensure its cleanliness. A monthly fee of Nu 300, which everyone agrees is manageable, is collected to support water management.

The Foundation has also established Water User Groups (WUGs) to oversee and maintain the springs.

According to Choki, the water management group is led by women because they are the primary users of the water for household tasks such as gardening, cooking, and washing.

As part of the project, several villagers have been trained in spring-shed management and the use of nature-based solutions.

Chencho Tshering, a 38-year-old farmer, says that the Foundation has provided all the necessary materials and the villagers did the manual labour work. “In addition to cement, barbed wire for fencing, water pipes, and pipe connectors, we used natural resources such as bamboo, logs, and planks.”

The project was completed in just a month.

The water is now filtered through filtration tanks before reaching the distribution point, ensuring that villagers receive fresh and clean drinking water.

While villagers have traditionally relied on livestock, there is growing interest in vegetable cultivation for sale.

According to Ugyen Dema, a local farmer, her enthusiasm for expanding vegetable farming has increased now that water supply has improved. “With the enhanced water supply, vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, spinach, and chili are thriving. Previously, wheat was the only primary cereal produced in the village.”

The Foundation has constructed three water reservoir tanks in Kimgang village, with capacities of 5,000 litres, 15,000 litres, and 30,000 litres, to ensure a reliable water supply for residents.

Four villages in Mewang Gewog—Kimgang, Drugling, Khasakha, and Sigye—have received spring water infrastructure worth Nu 1.2 million through the Foundation.

The Foundation highlights the urgent challenge of drying springs, exacerbated by climate change, land use changes, and environmental degradation, which have significantly reduced both the quantity and quality of spring water.

To address this, the Foundation has implemented nature-based solutions and spring-shed management, using natural processes to improve water supply cost-effectively.

The project also aims to tackle human-wildlife conflicts, promote sustainable land management, and develop community-based businesses and eco-tourism.

The water security initiative in Mewang Gewog is part of the USD 2.73 million, eight-year project titled ‘Living Landscapes: Securing High Conservation Values in South-Western Bhutan’.

Supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, and the International Climate Initiative, the project spans 21 gewogs across nine dzongkhags: Thimphu, Paro, Chhukha, Dagana, Sarpang, Tsirang, Samtse, Haa, and Zhemgang.

The project is set to conclude in March 2028.

And, this week, Bhutan is observing World Water Week from August 25 to 29, with the theme “Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future.”

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