Member of National Planning Commission Dr.Sunil Babu Shrestha inaugurated one day Workshop on Smart Water Management: Use of Technology aimed a function. Organized jointly by Society of Public Health Engineers, Nepal with support from Nepal Telecommunication Authority, the aim of the workshop is to generate awareness among the policy makers on the issue of smart water management technology.

Expressing his views on Smart Water Management and Use of Technology, Dr. Youn-sik, professor of INCHEON University National University Korea, said that use of technology can help to manage the water supply system more efficient and better. “Korea has a long history of using the technology in the water management and Nepal can also learn from our experience.”

Secretary of Minister Drinking Water and Sanitation Bhim Upadhyaya said that Nepal has already introduced smart technology in small projects small town projects. “The time has come us to move ahead. As the numbers of employees has reduced in the water supply system, only the technology can recover it.”

Addressing the program, NC member Dr. Shrestha said that Nepal has no option other than to use the technology to efficient management of water. Former vice president of Asian Development Bank Dr. Bindu Nath Lohani said that Nepal needs to move quickly to integrate the water supply system with smart technology.

Chief of Nepal Telecom Authority Digambar Jha said the authority is now in the process of expanding the broadband network throughout the country. Director General of Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Tej Raj Bhatta Nepal needs to introduce all the available smart technology in water distribution system.” Nepal has already introduced some of the smart technology like GPS monitoring, online billing into its system. However, it is right time to introduce technology into water supply system.”

Former minister Ganesh Sha said that everyone is talking the buzz words like smart city, smart phone and smart water management. The time has come all of us to implement policies what we have been saying. “Using technology we can make Water supply and WASH sector more efficient.”

Chairman of SOPHEN Ramdeep Sha said that is first time Nepal is organizing the discussion on the smart water management issue. “SOPHEN will increase this kind of activities with the support from NTA.”