A CLOSER LOOK AT WATER CONTAMINATION ALONG THE MT. EVEREST BASE CAMP HIGHWAY

Thousands of tourists visit the Mt. Everest region of Nepal every year and contribute to a water contamination problem that affects both tourists and locals of this mountainous region. Currently, over 12 metric tons of human waste per year is being carried down from the base camps and dumped at lower elevations where it is improperly disposed of in unlined pits. This creates a serious health risk due to the contamination of the water supply. The geographical setting of the area plays a significant role in the water contamination; at higher elevations, the annual ground temperatures are too low and do not allow for proper anaerobic decomposition of organic matter to take place.

In 2014, our group spent two preliminary weeks in Nepal and collected a total of 16 water samples. Between the towns of Lukla and Phakding (ascending in elevation), samples were collected from flowing stand pipes, the Thado Koshi river, and a stream. The average temperature of these samples was 12.3°C. Samples were taken from several streams and rivers along the ascending trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar and averaging at 10.9°C. The last set of samples was taken from the drinking water supply in Namche Bazaar, the main trading center and tourist hub of the Khumbu region. Here samples were collected from a faucet at the Namche checkpoint, the river through Namche, and a couple small trickling streams. These samples averaged at 9.9°C and contained the highest number of E. coli colonies out of all the samples. According to the data, the number of E. coli colonies found in streams was greater than the number found in naturally flowing springs. The data also shows a correlation between temperature profile and number of E. coli colonies.

Further work in 2014 will include returning to this region to collect more water samples and perform further testing for E. coli and total coliforms. After conducting this second round of sampling, the results will be used to correlate a map of water contamination for the area known as the Everest Base Camp Highway.