Status of drinking water contamination in Mountain Region, Nepal.

Status of drinking water contamination was studied in three mountainous districts in Nepal. A total of 43 water samples (Sankhuwasabha: 11, Rasuwa: 12 and Dolpa: 20) were tested for the presence of total coliform (TC) and Escherichia coli as fecal coliform bacilli using commercially available test system called Colilert (Japan). Of the total, 85.7% (36/43) were positive for TC whereas 67.4% (29/43) were positive for Esch. coli. The fecal contamination rates (as indicated by the growth of Esch. coli) in Sankhuwasabha, Rasuwa and Dolpa Districts were 81.8% (9/11), 75.0% (9/12) and 65.0% (13/20), respectively. Most of the water samples collected in district headquarter towns namely Khandbari, Dhunche and Dunai, respectively) showed Esch. coli compared with those collected in remote villages areas.