Kathmandu, May 28 -- Testing of drinking water samples collected about a month ago from various places of Kathmandu district by the Public Health Office found hazardous microbes in over one-fourth of the samples. However, the office has since stopped the testing, meaning it is unaware of the quality of water that hundreds of thousands people in the capital city are drinking every day.

"We could not continue testing of water samples due to various constraints," said Saroj Roka, an official at the health office. "We will resume testing within our jurisdiction soon."

Unlike the Public Health Office, Kathmandu, many local units across the country have not even considered it necessary to start examining water quality, despite it being one of...