𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐧 𝐀 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝

…𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒂𝒑 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔

By Sonam Choden

In the hills of Baeyul Kunzang, the sound of flowing water has become rare. What was once a dependable daily presence now arrives as faint trickles through ageing pipes, often for short and uncertain periods. For years, the 82 household community has struggled with dwindling water sources and damaged pipelines, even as Bhutan continues to be regarded as one of the world’s most water abundant countries. The contrast has turned this quiet village into a clear reflection of Bhutan’s growing water challenge. While rivers and rainfall remain plentiful at a national level, many rural communities are struggling to access reliable drinking water.

Every household in Baeyul Kunzang has a tap installed, but most remain dry for much of the year. The taps stand as reminders of infrastructure that exists but no longer functions as intended.
“We used to have four water sources, three in the upper settlement and one below, but now only one still provides water,” said Dorji, the village Tshokpa. “The others have dried up or were destroyed by flash floods. What’s left barely meets our needs.”

According to Dorji, the remaining source is rationed among villagers. “We asked the government for support to renovate the watershed, and they agreed to send engineers. Until then, we fenced the source to prevent contamination and make sure the school and BHU get water first,” he said.

National data supports the situation unfolding in Baeyul Kunzang. The National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology recorded an average annual rainfall of 1,802 millimetres last year. However, experts caution that rainfall alone no longer ensures water security. Nearly 88 percent of Bhutan’s water comes from monsoon rains, making communities highly vulnerable to even slight changes in climate patterns.

The Climate Resilient Watershed Management Report 2023 found that of Bhutan’s 7,399 mapped water sources, 1,856 are drying, 69 have completely vanished, and only 5,457 remain stable.
Former Tshokpa Sonam Dorji, who now also serves as the village’s water maintenance technician, has observed the decline over several years.

“It started slowly. The springs shrank, then vanished. Some sank underground,” he said. “In 2017, the watershed built for agriculture was washed away in a flash flood. Now, everyone from the school to the clinic to the village drinks from a single watershed that barely runs.”

Maintaining the remaining source has become increasingly difficult. Sonam Dorji explained that the watershed lies nearly two kilometres from the village.

“I have to check it often, but the path is not easy. It is covered with thick bushes and slippery slopes,” he said. “If we clear the way, animals wander in and contaminate the water. If we leave it overgrown, it becomes harder to reach. Either way, keeping it clean has turned into a full time battle.”

The water shortage has also affected livelihoods. Agriculture remains the primary source of income for many households in Baeyul Kunzang, particularly orange farming.

“Our main income is from oranges, but now the trees do not produce like before,” said Sonam Dorji. “Without enough water, many fruits dry up before they ripen.”

At the national level, the World Bank estimates that unmanaged climate risks could slow Bhutan’s GDP growth by two to three percent annually by 2050, with water scarcity identified as a major threat to agriculture.

For older residents, the impact of water shortages is felt daily. Seventy four year old Rinchen Gyeltshen said the problem persists throughout the year.

“The shortage happens all year round, both in summer and winter,” he said. “In winter, it is worse. There are eleven of us at home now that the vacation has started, and I worry that what little water we have will not be enough.”
Nearby, 60 year old Phub Zam shared a similar concern. “It is manageable in summer, but once winter comes, the water dries up and things get very difficult. I am hopeful the government will fix it,” he said.

According to UNDP, only 63 percent of Bhutanese have access to continuous safe drinking water, and many rural water systems fail to meet safety standards. In Baeyul Kunzang, households store limited water supplies in buckets and containers, often uncertain about its quality.

“The water flows for an hour a day before it stops,” said Lhapchu. “We worry if it is clean, but what else can we do? You cannot boil away fear when there is barely enough to drink.”

At the policy level, water resilience has been identified as a national priority under the 13th Five Year Plan covering 2024 to 2029. The government has allocated Nu 820 million for irrigation and rural water flagship programmes and Nu 128 million for hydro meteorological monitoring.

The De Suung National Water Project has implemented 44 rural water schemes, benefiting nearly 9,830 households, six schools and three health facilities. Similarly, the Advancing Climate Resilience of the Water Sector in Bhutan project aims to restore 38,518 hectares of watershed by 2028, though as of 2024, only 600 hectares have been rehabilitated.
Despite these initiatives, progress remains uneven in remote areas. Dorji said delays and access challenges continue to affect timely support.

“Help takes time to reach us, and our water problem cannot wait for another season,” he said. “The road is rough and unpaved. Vehicles struggle to reach the source, and by the time help comes, the pipes have cracked again.”
Bhutan’s water challenge is increasingly linked to management and adaptation rather than absolute scarcity. Much of the infrastructure that channels water from mountain sources to households was built decades ago and is not designed to withstand changing climate conditions. As rainfall patterns shift and temperatures rise, these systems are under growing strain.

In Baeyul Kunzang, residents have responded by fencing their remaining water source, rationing supplies and prioritising essential services such as the school and BHU. However, villagers say these measures can only go so far.
“We do what we can,” said Sonam Dorji. “We have learned to live with less, but each year the wait for water gets longer.”

The situation in Baeyul Kunzang reflects a broader reality across Bhutan, where once reliable streams are drying, ageing pipelines are failing and rural communities are struggling to adapt quickly enough.
As Rinchen Gyeltshen said, “Water is life. When it stops flowing, everything else stops with it.”

This story was covered as a part of the media reporting grant funded by Australian Government through ABC International Development and JAB