Melamchi water is released in the river to increase the flow of water in the Wagmati river during Shivratri. The water has been released to make it easier for the devotees who come to visit Pashupati to bathe in the river and to enhance its beauty.

Ratna Lamichhane, Executive Director of Melamchi Water Development Committee informed that about 1000 liters of Melamchi water per second flowed in Wagmati. "At other times, we used to flow six hundred liters of water per second in the river. Although the capacity of the project is said to be 17 million, now we have brought 230 million liters of drinking water per day. Out of that, we will distribute 200 million to the consumers and let the remaining 30 million flow into the river," he said. "Not only during Shivratri, but Melamchi is helping to increase the flow of water in Bagmati on other festivals and on a daily basis.

According to him, water will be poured for Shivratri till 8 am on Thursday . "We had to close the project for a few months to protect the Melamchi drinking water project from the monsoon disaster, at that time we met the needs of the consumers of Kathmandu by bringing water from Dhap Dam," said Lamichhane, "we will bring water from Dhap Dam and distribute it in the coming rains as well."

During last year's Shivratri, the Wagmati Improvement Project under the Integrated Wagmati Civilization Development Committee released water from Dhap Dam into the Wagmati River during Chhath Parva. 

Deputy Project Director and Information Officer of Wagmati Improvement Project, Uddhav Nepal informed that water has been procured from Melamchi to increase the flow of water in the river and make Bertalu easier for bathing. "On special days like Shivaratri and Chhath, we have been releasing water from the dam to Vagmati," he said.