Who Is Waterkeeper: Nedup Tshering, WangChu Waterkeeper
By: Colin Campbell
At sixteen thousand feet, in the thin air of the high Himalayas, a stream forms from pristine glacial meltwater. As several streams converge into a river, the water flows down towards Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu, at a somewhat more modest 7,000 feet. Here, water is more than just a resource – it’s intertwined with spiritual values, cultural traditions, and community well-being. Protecting waterways from pollution is a calling that Nedup Tshering, the dedicated advocate behind WangChu Waterkeeper (formerly Thim Chu Waterkeeper), has wholeheartedly embraced.
Nedup’s journey began in 2012, when Dasho Tshering Tobgay, future Prime Minister, asked him about Bhutan’s most pressing environmental concern. Without hesitation, Nedup pointed to the escalating pollution of the WangChu River (also known as the Thimphu River). Sewage, plastic waste, and illegal dumping were visibly threatening the river’s ecological health. With Tobgay’s support, a preliminary water quality test was conducted along the Thimphu River from Dechencholing to Kashadrapchu, creating a ripple for broader environmental awareness.
By 2014, Nedup’s vision materialized with the establishment of Clean Bhutan, an organization dedicated to protecting Bhutan’s rivers, trekking trails, and towns from the impacts of waste pollution. Two years later, Nedup connected with Waterkeeper Alliance and formally established Thim Chu Waterkeeper, now WangChu Waterkeeper. This partnership supported Nedup and his team to amplify their advocacy efforts, directly engaging local communities, policymakers, and even Bhutan’s revered monastic institutions.
“As a member of Waterkeeper Alliance, we are able to meet with the policymakers and communities and share our philosophy of ‘Clean and healthy river towards our own happiness,'” says Nedup. Given that Bhutan still has the unique distinction of measuring Gross National Happiness in addition to economic indicators, this message seems a natural fit for the community.
WangChu Waterkeeper represents a river basin crucial not only to Bhutan but also to the broader Himalayan region. Flowing from the Himalayas through Bhutan into India and eventually one of Asia’s major river systems, the Brahmaputra, WangChu, and its tributaries support nearly 200,000 people—the most densely populated region in Bhutan. However, rapid urbanization, increased consumption of packaged goods, and inadequate waste management practices pose threats to the waterway. Key issues Nedup identifies include municipal waste, plastic pollution, illegal dumping, wastewater runoff, and erosion.
“Working in close collaboration with the local communities living along the riverine ecosystem and the government is the key to success,” Nedup emphasizes. To date, WangChu Waterkeeper and Clean Bhutan maintain a consistent volunteer base of over 2,500 young volunteers participating in cleanup campaigns. Beyond grassroots mobilization, Nedup’s team actively documents and reports pollution incidents, sometimes publicly on social media to generate awareness, and works closely with government bodies to enforce compliance with Bhutan’s environmental laws.
Nedup’s approach leverages Bhutan’s unique cultural strengths. As he reflects, “Being a Buddhist country, we never face too many challenges in protecting our rivers.” He further emphasizes that Bhutan’s values, along with the constitutional requirement to maintain at least 60% forest cover, complement their water advocacy efforts and align with WangChu Waterkeeper’s mission.
Looking forward, Nedup aims to expand WangChu Waterkeeper’s water quality monitoring, strengthen community outreach, and cultivate a network of Waterkeeper groups across Bhutan, advocating collectively for clean waterways. His vision is clear: to nurture a future where Bhutan’s rivers remain pristine, safeguarding the nation’s ecological heritage and the happiness of its people.
To support Nedup’s work and learn more, visit cleanbhutan.org/donation.
The theme of the United Nations’ World Water Day 2025 is glacier preservation. Glaciers are vital sources of freshwater for millions around the world, yet they are rapidly disappearing due to climate change. Nedup’s work to protect the WangChu River, which is fed by Himalayan glaciers, highlights the interconnectedness of our global water systems. The threats posed by pollution and changing water flows are stark reminders of why we must act now to preserve these essential water sources for our communities and ecosystems.
