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In the Kathmandu Valley, the delivery of water jars has become a symbol of everyday life. Whether in the narrow lanes of urban cities or the quiet villages on the outskirts, large blue or clear plastic jars sit on porches, kitchen counters and shop fronts. For the rich, poor and the middle class alike, jar water is not just a convenience—it’s a lifeline. Trusted as a safer alternative to tap water, these jars are seen as symbols of hygiene and modern living. 

A recent investigation from the Lalitpur public health office has cast a disturbing shadow on the daily routine of jar water consumption. Out of 28 samples of jar water tested in the district, 11 tested positive for fecal coliform bacteria. The bacteria was also found in all water samples collected from Mahankal rural municipality-3 in Lalitpur district. Among them, five tap water samples tested positive for potentially deadly microbes.

According to a report published in Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), the Baglung provincial public health office has detected coliform bacteria in 125 out of 341 water sources tested across all 10 municipalities of the district. Dilli Acharya, a lab technician, told RSS that they found 42 out of 106 drinking water sources in Jaymini municipality contaminated. Also, 40 out of 91 sources in Galkot municipality of the district tested positive for coliform bacteria.

Acharya added that last year, coliform was found in 103 sources, which has now increased to 125. “We will expand the scope of testing in all municipalities, as coliform has been found in many sources,” he told RSS.

Dr Kiran Tiwari, medical superintendent at Dhaulagiri provincial hospital, warned that drinking water contaminated with coliform can lead to serious health issues such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, jaundice, Hepatitis B, urinary tract infections and blood infections. 

So, what is a workable solution to this problem? Water from affected sources should be boiled before drinking, said Dr Tiwari.

Harihar Sharma, deputy mayor of Jaymini municipality—which reported the highest contamination—told RSS that the municipality is “actively working” on cleaning and conserving the water sources. Fecal coliform is a type of bacteria that usually lives in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, including humans. These bacteria can come out through animal or human waste (feces) and sometimes end up in water. They are used as an indicator—meaning if these bacteria are found in water, it’s a sign that the water might be contaminated with feces, and possibly other harmful germs. Most of the time, these bacteria are not very dangerous, but their presence means that there could be other, more harmful bacteria, viruses or parasites in the water.

These samples were collected from water jars sourced from Gotikhel and Pandhere rivers, located in Godawari municipality and Mahankal rural municipality. “This contamination may be due to the rainy season and drainage system too,” according to Shree Bhadra Sharma, a lab technician at Public Health Lalitpur. “Bacterial contamination resulting from mixing rainwater with river water might have caused this. However, retests after 2-3 days found the contamination gone. The issue was temporarily settled.”

But the fact that contamination was found at all—especially in water meant for direct consumption—has raised a question across the valley. The discovery comes at a precarious time. Every monsoon, cases of cholera and diarrhea spike across the country, straining already overburdened public health systems.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 1,316 cholera cases were reported in fiscal year 2022-23 , the number slightly decreased to 1,016 in 2023-24 and surged to 2,373 in 2024-25. As for diarrhea, 227,485 cases were recorded in 2023-24 and 199,169 cases in 2024-25.
Not all cases can be directly linked to jar water, but the presence of fecal coliform in widely distributed drinking water raises red flags.

So, how do water jars end up in our homes? The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) is responsible for regulating and licensing water jar companies. In theory, companies must pass water quality tests and undergo site inspections before they can operate.

“We only approve the company license after a lab test of the water sample,” said Jyotsna Shrestha, senior food research officer at the DFTQC. “The site is inspected, and approval is given only after ensuring proper sanitation and source safety.”

But Shrestha admits to a key gap in the system. “We only test water quality after it reaches the market, not before packaging after giving the license.” That’s where the problem lies.

In short, companies might pass the initial test but face little routine monitoring afterward. This means water could be clean during licensing but contaminated by the time it reaches your home. Worse, many jar plants—especially smaller, unregistered ones—reportedly refill jars directly from natural sources like rivers or underground wells, often without sufficient filtration or disinfection.

The jars themselves are part of the problem. Made from polycarbonate plastic, these containers are meant to be reused multiple times—but only if they’re properly sterilized after each use. In practice, many facilities skip or rush the sterilization process. Some even reuse visibly discolored or damaged jars.

“The jar should be transparent,” said Shrestha. “That helps detect cleanliness and usage better than just counting how many times it’s reused.” But without standard labeling or usage tracking, there’s no way for consumers to know if the jar they’re drinking from has been safely sanitized—or simply refilled and resealed.

While municipalities have begun awareness campaigns, the response remains reactive rather than preventive. Testing is conducted every six months, once before the rainy season and another during the rainy season, said Sharma and “only when people raise concerns about the water.”

Tibrata Sharma from the Bhaktapur Health Office echoed similar concerns. “In Bhaktapur, we found fecal coliform in one of two companies tested. It could be due to the rainy season—or human behavior.”

Until these issues are addressed—through stricter regulation, more frequent testing and greater consumer awareness—the safety of jar water remains uncertain. Health experts now urge the public to boil jar water or use in-home filters, especially during the rainy season. It’s a precaution that could prevent illness—or even save lives. In a nation already overwhelmed by waterborne diseases, every drop should be clean.

The festive season is upon us. With teej around the corner and Dashain and Tihar following soon after, it’s that time of the year when you find yourself meeting up with family and friends over lunches and dinners. It’s mostly likely that you will want to host a couple of parties yourself. After all, could there really be a better time to indulge in good food and spend quality time with your loved ones than when you are free from meetings and deadlines?

But does the idea of throwing a party or having even a small get-together at home stress you out? You think of the million things you need to do, like prepare the menu, get the house in order, think of festive gifts and what not, and you feel overwhelmed. It happens to the best of party planners so that doesn’t mean you can’t welcome guests. With the information and tricks we’re here to provide you, you can throw a wonderful dinner event that will have your guests raving about your hosting skills. The good thing is it will be a breeze and you will also enjoy and be proud of yourself.

Plan in advance

The key to a successful party is planning, planning, and more planning. So whip out a notebook and write down everything that needs to be done, and include even small details like ‘clean the bathroom’, ‘get flowers and candles’, or ‘change the table runner’. Oftentimes, we tend to stress out over small things or forget them, leading to last minute hassles. Plan the guest list, appetizers and main course menu, and decor. Having everything written down will remove the mental clutter and make tasks much easier to manage. You can also create a to-do list on your phone and tick off items as you complete them. Also, planning in advance doesn’t have to mean planning a week before the party. You can start gathering things like decor items and gifts sometimes even a month in advance. Currently, there are many fairs and exhibitions being held around town in preparation for teej. Visit a couple to see what all you can pick up that you can use as party favors later on. Stocking up on things like these can help lessen the preparation load later on.

Pick a theme

If you thought having a theme was only for children’s birthday parties, think again. We, at ApEx, believe every party should have a theme. Not only does it seem like you have put a lot of thought and effort into hosting, it’s also easier to plan around a theme. You don’t have to decide everything like decor and food individually. Say you are throwing an outdoor barbecue party, then you don’t have to worry about indoor decor. All you need are some string lights and maybe a cool bar station setup. Similarly, if your theme is 90s throwback then the right music, a selection of candies that you used to have during your school days (and yes, there are widely available these days), and decor using balloons, banners, and ribbons could pretty much sort it out. Sometimes, a color or type of cuisine could decide your theme too. A cocktail soirée is a great low-effort theme, especially if you host an outdoor one during the day time. You only have to prepare some meat and cheese platters and let the drinks take over.

Let the decor take over

Apart from the food, the most important aspect of any party is how welcome and comfortable you make the guests feel. And this can only be done through the right decor. We recommend investing in sustainable decor items that you can use again and again and not on balloons and streamers that have to be tossed after a single use, though this can be used if you are throwing themed parties that need them. But if not, invest in large flower vases, candle holders, and lights that can be used to make your space seem more festive. For Dashain and Tihar, we couldn’t recommend floating candles enough. Place these in small urns in various corners of your house, along with some rose petals, to give your home a festive feel. Light a diffuser with an aromatic essential oil to keep it smelling fresh. You could also place incense sticks in bathrooms and corridors. Invest in cute tableware and glassware that will make your appetizers and drinks look even better. The devil lies in the details so make sure you get them right.

Set up the food in style 

A buffet style set up is the most common way of serving food at most parties. And while these are practical and perhaps even irreplaceable, there’s really no excuse for a boring buffet. To ensure your party is the talk of the town, the food has to stand out in terms of preparation and presentation. We aren’t just talking about fancy ceramic wares and cutlery here though pretty napkins in vibrant colors and interesting patterns instead of regular, boring white ones definitely won’t hurt. Label your food using small photo holders and write down what’s in it. Make sure you mention the possible allergens if any. Decorate the buffet area with random arrangements of different flowers on small vases, fun food quotes written on chalkboards (this one is one of our favorites) and even cookbooks that your menu has been inspired from. You can also print out photos of your previous parties or take recent fun ones from your guest’s Instagram accounts and hang these on a piece of rope with pegs along the buffet area. Get creative with what you have around the house. You can use little knick knacks from your travels to decorate the area as well.

Two children of a family drowned in a water-filled pit near Dedu River at Thori of Parsa on Tuesday.

The deceased have been identified as eight-year-old Ansha Kathayat and four-year-old Anshaya Kathayat, sons of Manojaya Kathayat of Hanumannagar, Thori Rural Municipality-2.

According to Ward Chairman Amrit Krishna Sapkota, the duo had gone to the river, which is 150 meters away from their house, to take a bath before going to the school this morning.

DSP Kishor Lamsal and spokesperson at the District Police Office, Parsa, officially confirmed the death.

Vehicular movement along the Gamgadhi-Balai-Pina roadway has come to a complete halt due to landslides and floods triggered by the rainfall for two months.

It has resulted in sheer inconvenience to the transportation and people's mobility.

Locals are compelled to use a long alternative route, carrying food grains and fetching medicines.

Local Dan Bahadur Shahi mentioned, "Landslides have occurred in most of the places along the roadway. No one has paid attention to resume the blocked road. Locals have been facing problems even in their daily mobility."

However, acting Mayor of Chhayanath Rara municipality, Aishwarya Malla, informed that the debris would be removed once the rainfall stops.