Governance of spring-dependent community water supply schemes in Seti Khola Watershed, Nepal

Springs are essential water sources, especially in mid-hill regions. This study focuses on the governance of spring-fed community water supply schemes to understand how governance can achieve sustainable and equitable water resource management. Surveys and social interactions were conducted to study spring utilization, distribution, community roles, and governance, followed by a SWOT-based assessment. The Seti Khola Watershed is located in the rural to peri-urban mid-hill region, with an area of 115 km2. It has monsoon-dependent annual rainfall concentrated in about 100 days and a prolonged dry period for the remaining days. The study area has 20 wards with 175 perennial springs; 74 are directly accessed, 72 are gravity-fed, and 29 are pumped; however, 22 piped systems are shared across three categories for about 30,000 people. The findings reveal a governance landscape dominated by decentralized, informal mechanisms. Most systems (88%) were managed locally, often through informal community structures across Local, Provincial, and Central Governments. Of the total springs, 25 springs lacking to supply the minimum water requirements, 47.6% exhibited excess environmental flow, and the others faced dry-season shortages. The typology of springs varies, with ‘Muhan’ supporting the largest number of households and exhibiting the highest total dry-season cumulative outflow (2,342.5 lpm).