Water Delivery Route Planning in the Kathmandu Valley

Good water delivery route planning in Kathmandu can mean more drops per day with the same vehicle and driver. Heavy traffic, narrow lanes and steep stairs make planning matter more here than a map suggests.

Group customers into zones with fixed days

Put every customer on a map, even on your phone, and group them into zones one vehicle can cover in a trip. Rivers, bridges and one-way roads often split areas that look close, so build zones around how your driver actually travels. Then give each zone fixed delivery days, for example:

Zone	Main delivery days	Customer types
Core city	Sunday, Wednesday	Homes, small shops
Ring road offices	Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday	Offices, clinics
Lalitpur	Monday, Thursday	Homes, restaurants
Outer valley	Friday	Schools, bulk buyers

Heavy users may need more drops; small households may need one a week. Once customers know their day, emergency calls drop.

Time routes around traffic and access

• Start early so main-road drops happen before peak traffic
• Serve offices during office hours, when someone can receive jars and return empties
• Visit homes when people are in, often mornings or evenings
• Note access limits, such as lanes a pickup cannot enter or buildings without lifts

Record how long each drop really takes, including stairs and waiting.

Load in drop order and plan for peaks

• Load the last drop first so the first drop's stock is at the back door
• Keep full jars and collected empties in separate sections
• Secure the load and cover it from sun and rain
• Monsoon: build extra time into routes and warn customers of delays
• Dashain and Tihar: take orders early and confirm staff availability, as many workers travel home
• Strikes and road closures: keep customer numbers handy to reschedule

Review routes every month

Check drops per trip, failed or rescheduled deliveries, customers with frequent emergency orders and time spent per zone. Moving one building to a different day can free up a whole trip.

If you want to discuss supply for your routes, talk to a supplier's sales team about stock and pickup schedules.

Talk to our sales team

Frequently asked questions

How many water jar deliveries can one vehicle make in a day?

It depends on vehicle size, traffic, stairs and how tightly customers are grouped. Track your real drops per day for a few weeks and plan from that.

What is the best time to deliver water in Kathmandu?

Early mornings help avoid peak traffic; deliver to offices during working hours and to homes when someone is in.