Drinking Water Quality in the Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

A first-of-its-kind study reveals significant fecal contamination of drinking water sources in the Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, particularly in lower-altitude, more populated areas and during the pre-monsoon summer season. The research identified a strong correlation between E. coli levels, population density, tourist traffic, and elevation, with surface water showing higher contamination than groundwater-fed springs. Despite meeting WHO standards for physical properties like temperature, pH, conductivity, and total dissolved solids (TDS), seasonal variability was observed, with May samples exhibiting higher bacterial presence than November ones. Conductivity and TDS generally decreased with elevation, while pH increased, underscoring the complex interplay of tourism, geography, and climate on water quality in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nicholson, K., Hayes, E., Neumann, K., Dowling, C., & Sharma, S. (2016). Drinking Water Quality in the Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 04(04), 43–53. https://doi.org/10.4236/gep.2016.44007