Kathmandu, Dec. 9 -- Nepal's springs and groundwater reserves are steadily declining, putting the country's water security at risk, according to a new assessment by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The Asian Water Development Outlook 2025, released on Monday, finds that over-pumping in the Kathmandu Valley has severely depleted aquifers and dried up traditional springs. Across the hills and mountains, numerous springs have either diminished or vanished entirely.

In the Tarai, shallow aquifers are overstressed, triggering seasonal shortages, while naturally occurring arsenic in alluvial sediments has contaminated groundwater in several areas, posing significant public health risks.

Despite Nepal's abundant water resources, only about 2...