A day without water: Managing Sri Lanka’s water resources
Saturday, 31 August 2013 00:00
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During the UN’s International Year for Water Cooperation, LKIIRSS staged an event regarding water resources on 30 April 2013. The topics discussed included scarcity, sustainability, energy, waste management, empowerment and health.
Prof. Athula Senarathne, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya, assured the gathering that Sri Lanka would never experience a “day without water” because of an enormous surplus. He focused on water quality, linking hard water with cardiovascular and kidney problems and fluorite with tooth decay. He then called for national purification standards to ensure safe drinking water.
By contrast, Bird, Director General of the International Water Management Institute, warned that a “day without water” could become a reality due to economic and political forces creating scarcity and therefore, opposing interests should be balanced while policy should be scientifically and socially informed.
Dr. H.A. Dharmagunawardena from the University of Peradeniya made it apparent that in Sri Lanka, groundwater (which is 100 times more abundant than lake and stream water) has been polluted by agro-chemicals and waste.
Asoka Abeygunawardana, the Executive Director of the Energy Forum, discussed hydropower. He presented it as a cheaper solution for the 50% of Sri Lankans who live below the electricity poverty line. Hydroelectricity has also created a conflict for water between Sri Lanka’s energy needs and agricultural needs.
Dr. Ajantha Perera criticised Sri Lanka’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’ culture in terms of garbage disposal. She discussed how contaminated leachates from Sri Lanka’s numerous landfills pollute the water system. She also proposed rainwater harvesting as a sustainable option instead of bottled water which produces waste plastic. Karunasena Hettiarachchi, the Chairman of the Water Board, described catchment protection schemes which ensure sustainability.
Ms. Kusum Athukorala, Chair of the Sri Lankan Water Partnership, called for a resurgence of Sri Lanka’s equitable water cooperation principles. She also discussed women’s role in water management and the institutional changes needed to help empower them.
Dr. Paba Palihawadana, Chief Epidemiologist for the Ministry of Health, contended that the majority of water samples (including Water Board specimens) from Sri Lanka do not meet health standards. Diseases like viral hepatitis are not decontaminated by boiling or chlorination so proper purification is needed. D.L.O. Mendis, a scientist from the IFS in Kandy, spoke about the proposed ‘River for Jaffna’ project and its benefits. He refuted unfounded claims that the project aims to divert the Mahaweli.
Asanga Abeyagoonesekara, the Executive Director of LKIIRSS, and Ravindranath Dabare, the Chairperson of the Centre of Environmental Justice, acted as moderators. LKIIRSS used this seminar as an opportunity to examine the important, but often overlooked, issue of water resources. The conference report will be published in September.
