The US along with Nepali armed forces has constructed seven deep tube wells in the Kathmandu Valley at a cost of USD 1.3 million to provide emergency water supply in the event of a catastrophic earthquake.
Each of the seven seismically safe deep tube wells can provide up to 10,000 liters of water per day, supporting up to 15,000 residents following an earthquake, according to a press release issued by the US Embassy here.
Kathmandu, the capital of the Himalayan country, lies in one of the most earth-quake-prone zones in the world. The city's population has expanded by 60 per cent in a decade, according to Nepal's 2011 census, with some 2.5 million people requiring 350 million liters of water per day.
"The US Mission to Nepal is committed to supporting the government of Nepal's efforts in planning for a disaster. An important part of contingency planning is the provision of clean water," the US Embassy press release said.