Kathmandu, Aug. 8 -- All water samples collected from household taps in ward 3 of Mahankal Rural Municipality in Lalitpur district have been found contaminated with faecal coliform.

Of the five samples of tap water collected randomly from households, all tested positive for the potentially deadly microbes.

The discovery of faecal coliform in tap water suggests increasing health risk, especially as contamination of drinking water sources is common during the monsoon. But neighbouring Kathmandu is yet to start testing water quality, leaving millions at risk.

"All five samples of water supplied by two drinking water projects have been found contaminated with faecal coliform," said Shree Bhadra Sharma, an official at the Public Health offi...