Political Economy, Power Relations, and Water Security: An Ethnography of the MahadevsthanMatatirtha Water Supply System in Chandrgiri Municipality, Kathmandu

This paper is based on ethnographic data and institutional records collected during my fieldwork for the PhD research in anthropology. I studied the Mahadevsthan-Matatirtha water supply system from June to July 2025 and employed tools such as key informant interviews, informal discussions, participant observation, and case study to collect data. The study discusses how the community-managed water supply system, comprising 4783 households, experiences a power tussle between water-related stakeholders and mutually contending views, such as water as a social good or a commodity. The water supply system possesses larger management and infrastructure, adequate human resources, systematic tariff collection, and expansion of infrastructure to address water scarcity. The differential cost of household tap installation for old residents and migrants shows asymmetrical power relations between them. The mechanism of discount and penalty regarding payment of water tariff shows both social responsibility and market orientation. The gradual decline of public taps shows the primacy of household taps and the emergence of a commodification culture. Water scarcity in this system is addressed through the installation of deep-boring systems, whereas people envisage the need for groundwater recharge. The water supply system combines community management and a market approach. The system is not free from conflicts that visibly shape water security. This study gives insights into the micro-level political economy of water in a neo-liberal context.