Collaborative urban water management bridges knowledge and action in Nepal

This case study describes the 'Pani Chautari' (water forum) process implemented by the Southasia Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS) between 2016 and 2020 in Dhulikhel, Nepal. The initiative used evidence-informed, multi-stakeholder dialogues to address water scarcity and conflict, bridging the gap between scientific research and local policy-making to enhance urban water governance.

• The 'Pani Chautari' (water forum) methodology was established as a multi-stakeholder platform to resolve water conflicts and promote evidence-based management in Dhulikhel. It follows a four-step cyclical process: identifying issues through research and stakeholder discussion, generating evidence via literature reviews and field studies, conducting facilitated stakeholder dialogues, and ensuring policy uptake through documentation and follow-up.
• Dhulikhel faces significant water scarcity driven by rapid urbanisation, tourism, and climate change, which has led to conflicts between commercial and domestic users, as well as between the town and upstream rural communities. Climate data analysis over 40 years revealed a decline in average rainfall, resulting in prolonged dry spells and the drying of local springs.
• The success of the Pani Chautari process relied on integrating diverse knowledge systems, combining scientific quantitative data with the experiential and practice-based knowledge of local water user committees and technical experts. This approach helped overcome local data scarcity and provided a more comprehensive basis for decision-making.
• Collaborative piloting of nature-based solutions, specifically recharge ponds and contour trenches, demonstrated the effectiveness of groundwater recharge in increasing spring water volumes. These pilots, monitored between April 2017 and May 2020, led to the institutionalisation of the 'one ward, one pond' programme within the municipal budget.
• The initiative fostered a long-term partnership between SIAS and the Dhulikhel municipality, shifting the local authority's perspective from relying solely on costly physical infrastructure to valuing research and community-based schemes. This culminated in the February 2020 proposal to establish a formal water council representing both upstream and downstream communities.
• Significant challenges were encountered regarding power differentials, distrust from marginalised groups, and conflicting priorities between researchers and government officials. To address these, SIAS used informal pre- and post-forum meetings and individual engagements to build trust, particularly with women and vulnerable community members.

APA

Scodanibbio, L., & Caleb, P. (2022). Collaborative urban water management bridges knowledge and action in Nepal. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/CDKN%20Nepal%20Learning%20Story%20DIGITAL.pdf

Chicago

Scodanibbio, Lucia, and Pratibha Caleb. Collaborative urban water management bridges knowledge and action in Nepal. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2022. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/CDKN%20Nepal%20Learning%20Story%20DIGITAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Scodanibbio |first1=Lucia |last2=Caleb |first2=Pratibha |title=Collaborative urban water management bridges knowledge and action in Nepal |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=July 2022 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/CDKN%20Nepal%20Learning%20Story%20DIGITAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{scodanibbio2022collaborative, author = {Scodanibbio, Lucia and Caleb, Pratibha}, title = {{Collaborative urban water management bridges knowledge and action in Nepal}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2022}, month = jul, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/CDKN%20Nepal%20Learning%20Story%20DIGITAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }