Access to safe and reliable water is a fundamental human right, yet many rural communities in Nepal face persistent challenges in achieving water security. Women are disproportionately affected due to their primary role in household water management. Over the last decades there has been an increase in gendered studies on women's water burden. This study examined women’s perspectives on domestic water access and use in four villages within the Bardia National Park buffer zone in the Terai region of southwest Nepal. Most households rely on hand pumps for water, though some have intermittent tap water access. Using Q methodology, this research explored women’s perspectives on domestic water access and use using a set of 30 items. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and varimax rotation resulted in a three-factor interpretation explaining 71\% of the study variance. The main findings were first of all that the importance of good drinking water quality was shared across factors, but that this did not lead consistently to the adoption of household water treatment (HWT). Second, piped water was envisioned for various uses, shaped by economic considerations and differing levels of concern about fluctuating water quality and seasonal scarcity. Lastly, community meetings played a central role to the adoption of water hygiene and HWT by only one factor, which suggests that their potential may be underutilized.