Safe drinking water for the Sri Lankan population

“Our country has high levels of rainfall and abundant water resources in certain parts. However, with development and population growth, there are increasing demands on our water resources. These demands include basic water supply to people, for farming purposes, for industrial growth, for power generation and for sustaining the environment, so that our natural systems can continue to support our development in the future. This has led to water scarcity at times in certain areas,”

About 72 percent of Sri Lanka’s population has access to safe drinking water, Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply said last week,

Speaking at an international workshop in Colombo on water issues, he said the population with safe drinking water is served by piped water supply - 28.4%, tube wells - 7.7%, protected dug wells - 34.1% and others (including rainwater harvesting) -1.3%

72 percent of Sri Lanka’s population has access to safe drinking water

In a keynote address, he said the workshop is of particular significance in the context of the Millennium Development Goals and of the goals set by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and by the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico.

He said achieving basic water security, harnessing the productive potential of water and limiting its destructive impacts, has been a constant struggle since the origins of human society. Sri Lanka has had a long and proud history of over 2,500 years’ experience in the management and development of water resources, and ancient hydraulic civilisations such as Sri Lanka appear to have achieved the balance that was required.

“Now, however, the situation is somewhat different. The International Water Management institute (IWMI), in its recently-released Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture says that one third of the world population face some form of water insecurity. When our Presidents and Prime Ministers met in the Millennium Summit, the goal was set to halve the number of people with no clean water to drink. In the Johannesburg conference’s concluding statement, this promise was reaffirmed,” he said.

The minister said that efficient water resources management requires that water be consumed in an efficient manner.

Whilst universal access to water must be ensured, this should not gainsay its efficient use and must allow for the adequate distribution of water amongst the different uses.

In view of the social importance and sometimes-inadequate geographical distribution of the resource, there should be an institutional framework in place that promotes integrated water resource management.

He said poverty is widespread in the rural sector in Sri Lanka, with 50% of the households below poverty level in certain areas – in Hambantota it is around 30%.

The main strategy being pursued to develop the rural sector is to reduce poverty by implementing integrated development programmes.

Agriculture and livestock should be important sectors which have to be given priority in our endeavours, as they can bring numerous social benefits, including increased food security, better nutrition and increased employment opportunities.

“Our country has high levels of rainfall and abundant water resources in certain parts. However, with development and population growth, there are increasing demands on our water resources.

These demands include basic water supply to people, for farming purposes, for industrial growth, for power generation and for sustaining the environment, so that our natural systems can continue to support our development in the future. This has led to water scarcity at times in certain areas,” the minister noted.