---
title: "Intake type for hilly area of Nepal"
subject: "Water Supply Engineering"
chapter: 5
key: "semester_5/water_supply_engineering:intake-for-hilly-area"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/water_supply_engineering/intake-for-hilly-area
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Intake type for hilly area of Nepal

Water Supply Engineering · Chapter 5: Intakes

- Asked in: 2071 Shrawan, 8 marks; 2071 Chaitra, 8 marks (asked 2 times)
- Video: [Intakes | Chapter:4 | Water Supply Engineering | Prashant YT | CTEVT |Diploma Civil | 4th Sem |](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACs9_NIucR4) — Prashant YT
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/water_supply_engineering/intake-for-hilly-area
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/water_supply_engineering/chapter-5

## Question

Which type of intake is generally used/recommended in the (rural) hilly area of Nepal? Why? Describe such an intake with a neat sketch showing plan, elevation, section and protection work.

## Short answer

A spring intake (spring box) is recommended for rural hilly Nepal because spring water is bacteriologically safe, flows by gravity, and construction uses local materials with low cost and maintenance. It consists of a masonry collection chamber at the spring eye with a gravel filter, outlet pipe with valve, overflow, washout, vent, and protection works including a clay cap, diversion drain, and fencing.

## Answer

#### Type of intake and the reason
In the rural hilly area of Nepal a **spring intake** (spring box) is generally used, or, where there is no spring, a simple **stream/side intake**. The spring intake is recommended because:
- springs usually come from deep underground, so their water is clean and bacteriologically safe and needs little or no treatment;
- the spring is usually at a high level, so water flows to the village **by gravity**, with no pumps;
- construction is simple, uses local stone, sand and labour, and its cost and maintenance are low (suitable for community management);
- the yield is dependable through the year, and the intake keeps the water protected.

#### Description of a spring intake
A **spring intake** (spring box or spring capture) is a small chamber built at the spring eye to collect all the flow from the spring, protect it from pollution, and send it to the pipeline by gravity.

**Parts of a spring intake**
- **Collection chamber** (spring box) of stone masonry or concrete, with a pre-cast cover and manhole.
- **Gravel filter / perforated pipes** at the back wall to collect water uniformly from the spring eye.
- **Outlet pipe** with a gate valve (and a strainer) to the pipeline.
- **Overflow pipe** to take excess water; **washout (drain) pipe** with a valve for cleaning; **vent pipe** with a screen.
- **Protection works**: clay/impervious cap over the spring, a **diversion drain** (catch drain) uphill to divert surface water, a **fence**, and a vegetation or plantation cover.

**Plan**
```text
   Diversion drain (uphill)
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  |    fence                    |
  |   +---------------------+   |
  |   | gravel filter ::::  |   |
  |   |  (spring eye)       |-->| overflow
  |   | collection chamber  |   |
  |   |  [manhole]   outlet |==>| pipe to tank
  |   +----------+----------+   |
  |         washout pipe        |
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
```

**Section / elevation**
```text
        Vent      Manhole cover
         |   ____|_____
  ground |  |          |  clay cap (0.5 m)
  =======+--+          +=============
         |  |  air     |
 Spring->|::| water lvl|--> overflow
 gravel  |::|~~~~~~~~~~|
 filter  |::|          |==> outlet+valve
         |__|__________|
              washout pipe
```

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which intake is generally used in rural hilly Nepal?
   A. Floating intake
   B. Dry river intake
   C. Spring intake (spring box)
   D. Canal intake
   Answer: C. Springs give clean water at high level. (Key point: Type of intake)

2. Why is it suitable for gravity supply?
   A. Spring is usually at a high level
   B. It is a lake
   C. It is below the village
   D. It needs pumps
   Answer: A. High springs let water flow by gravity without pumps. (Key point: Reason: gravity)

3. Why needs little treatment?
   A. It is always chlorinated
   B. It contains silt
   C. It is stored in a reservoir
   D. Spring water comes from deep underground and is clean
   Answer: D. Deep underground source gives bacteriologically safe water. (Key point: Reason: quality)

4. Which is a protection work?
   A. Groynes
   B. Trash rack in river
   C. Uphill diversion drain, fence and clay cap
   D. Cofferdam
   Answer: C. These keep out surface water and animals. (Key point: Protection)

## Related in Water Supply Engineering

- [Spring intake with neat sketch](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Aspring-intake-sketch) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 5, asked 8×
- [Sources for hilly rural areas; river vs spring](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Ahilly-rural-sources-river-spring) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 2
- [Demand of rural area survey 2019, 1.77% growth](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Ademand-b78) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 3
- [Rural area demand 2025 AD, incremental increase](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Ademand-bk68) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 3
- [Rural area 22000 L/day river supply (question text cut)](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Ares-a76) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 7
- [Schematic diagram of rural gravity scheme](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Arural-gravity-scheme-diagram) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 1, asked 5×

## Related in other subjects

- [Plan and elevation of English bond wall](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fconcrete_technology_and_masonry_structure%3Aenglish-bond-plan-elevation) — Concrete Technology and Masonry Structure, chapter 7, asked 2×
- [Building shape in plan and elevation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Abuilding-shape-plan-elevation) — Building Technology, chapter 11
- [Requirements of a good intake; types in Nepal](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fhydropower_engineering%3Aintake-requirements-types-nepal) — Hydropower Engineering, chapter 5
- [Headworks sketch, regulator section, protection works](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Firrigation_and_drainage_engineering%3Aheadworks-sketch-regulator-section-dissipators) — Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, chapter 7