Making urban waste management and drainage sustainable in Nepal

As cities in Nepal grow fast in an unplanned manner, low-lying areas face the risk of flooding and waterlogging exacerbated by the impact of climate change events such as excessive rainfall. The problem is aggravated when solid waste is not managed properly. This chapter provides an account of some of the key findings from a large research project where we examined how proper solid waste management would help reduce the risk of flooding and waterlogging using the metropolitan city of Bharatpur as a case study. It also examines the effectiveness of information dissemination and installation of waste bins on the streets as a strategy for making urban communities cleaner. The benefits that cities would derive in terms of increased property value when communities get cleaner are quantified. Household surveys and other data are used to examine households’ willingness to pay for improved municipal solid waste management and how this could be financed in a sustainable manner to increase urban resilience as a strategy for community-based climate change adaptation.