Sri Lanka: new partnership tackles fecal sludge management

Septage disposal. Sri Lanka/Nuwara Eliya sanitation project, 2008, Photo: Flickr/USAID.

An international research institute is helping the government of Sri Lanka to improve septage management in the country.

On 8 May 2013, the Colombo-based International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage signed a Memorandum of Understanding that provides a collaborative framework for sustainable septage management in Sri Lanka.

IWMI will contribute research data for the drafting of a septage management component of the national sanitation policy. The Ministry will lead implementation of the policy through an advisory committee headed by Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Only about 3% of Sri Lankans have a sewerage connection while the rest rely on latrines and septic tanks for sanitation. Safe disposal of septage (fecal sludge) is a problem because of a lack of treatment facilities in large parts of the country.

IWMI is studying a new approach in cities around the world, which treats the sludge so that it can be safely reused as agricultural fertiliser. With the rising costs of imported fertiliser, such an approach would not only benefit farmers but also allow better sanitation and environmental protection for all.

Related news:

• The business of the honey-suckers in Bengaluru (India), E-Source, 27 Sep 2012
• WASHplus Weekly: Focus on Fecal Sludge Management, Sanitation Updates, 30 Nov 2012

Related web sites:

• IWMI - Resource Recovery and Re-use
• Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage
• SuSanA - WG 5 – Food security and productive sanitation systems and Library – Fecal sludge management

 Source: IWMI, 8 May 2013

Asia: reducing lost water could bring water to millions

Millions of people in Asia and the Pacific could have access to clean water if leaks were plugged and water utility reforms adopted, says a new study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

“By cutting the amount of lost water in half, 150 million people could be supplied with treated water”, said ADB’s Vice President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development Bindu Lohani.
ADB estimates that 29 billion cubic meters of water is lost each year in the region, causing Asia’s water utilities to lose more than US$ 9 billion in revenue each year.

The ADB study, which showcases eight of the best-performing water utilities [2] in Asia, shows that current unaccounted for water (UFW) levels in the region of up to 60%, can be brought down to less than 20%. Phnom Penh even managed to lower its UFW level to just 6% in 2008.

Good Practices: The Success Framework for Urban Water Utilities. Source: ADB publication “Good Practices in Urban Water Management”

The study developed a Good Practices Success Framework (see figure above) with seven key elements that urban water utilities need to address. Regarding one of these elements, empowering the poor, the study notes that each of the eight water agencies studied provided some kind of subsidy for obtaining a water connection and, in deserving cases, for the use of water as well.

[1] Chiplunkar, A., Seetharam Kallidaikurichi and Tan Cheon Kheong (eds), 2012. Good practices in urban water management : decoding good practices for a successful future. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Asian Development Bank. xx, 206 p. Available at: < http://www.adb.org/publications/good-practices-urban-water-management>

[2] Bangkok, Thailand; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Jamshedpur, India; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China; and Singapore.

Related news: Higher water tariffs are associated with lower water loss, E-Source, 06 Dec 2011

Related web site: World Bank – Urban Water

Source: ADB, 03 Jul 2012

Sri Lanka: government sponsors monthly newspaper insert on water conservation

Lake House Chairman Bandula Padmakumara presenting the Randiya tabloid to Water Supply and Drainage Deputy Minister Nirupama Rajapaksa. Editorial Director Seelaratna Senarath is also in the picture. Photo: Dinamina

The Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage has launched the Randiya tabloid paper to raise public awareness on water conservation. Randiya will be published every third Wednesday as an insert in the Dinamina newspaper published by Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL), also known as Lake House.

Related web site: Sri Lanka – Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage

Source: Priyanka Kurugala, Daily News, 24 Nov 2011

Sri Lanka, Colombo: water pirates to be hunted down

The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has taken steps to nab water pirates in Colombo and the suburbs, an official said.

“We have established a special unit to nab water pirates. It is headed by a chief engineer in the NWSDB,” Deputy General Manager, Western and Central (NWSDB), Gerard Fonseka said.

Nearly 120 such illegal water tappers in Colombo are nabbed every month by the NWSDB. There has been no need to implement such programmes in the other districts since complaints regarding tapping of water have not been reported from these areas, he said.

Once the water pirates are caught, the NWSDB would demand that they pay the fines within a given period of time and in the case of not obliging, legal action would be initiated.

According to Fernando, water has been pilfered either by tampering with the meters or obtaining water illegally. He further requested the public to inform the NWSDB about water pirates on their hot line (1939).

Source: Pabodha Hettige, The Island, 18 Jul 2011

Sri Lanka: Govt. aims at safe water, sanitation for all by 2020

The Sri Lankan government aims to reach 100 per cent coverage in safe sanitation and water by 2020, said Minister of Water Supply and Drainage Dinesh Gunawardena at the Fourth South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN-IV). The current coverage figure for safe water and sanitation was 85.5 per cent, the minister stated.

Sri Lanka and the Maldives were the only two countries in South Asia that had achieved the Milllennium Development Goal (MDG) targets for water and sanitation.

The Center for Environmental Justice (CEJ) and Friends of the Earth Sri Lanka said nearly 200,000 people are still engaged in open defecation in Sir Lanka and urged the government commitment to provide clean water and toilet facilities for them.

Source: The Island, 04 Apr 2011

Sri Lanka: US$ 164 million project to address water, sanitation issues in conflict-affected areas

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Sri Lankan government are jointly financing a US$ 164 million project to restore water supply and sanitation infrastructure to the conflict-affected Northern Province. The ADB has approved US$ 90 million in loans and technical assistance, AFD is expected to provide US$ 40 million and the Government of Sri Lanka will provide over US$ 34 million for the project.

The Jaffna and Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project aims to serve both current residents and returning internally displaced people in target areas of the Jaffna Peninsula.

After 30 years of civil conflict ended at the end of 2009, much of the key infrastructure was damaged or has deteriorated as a result of neglect. Adding to these problems are over extraction of groundwater, aquifer pollution and the absence of effective water resources management.

The project will rehabilitate and improve reservoir headworks, and construct a water treatment and distribution system serving the Jaffna and Kilinochchi Districts. The new water distribution system will provide access to household connections and metered community water facilities. On the sanitation side, funds will be used to build a sewage collection and treatment system for the Jaffna Municipality; and construct low-cost household and communal latrines in poor communities.

Support will be given to the Jaffna Water Resources Management Committee to carry out a study and to draw up a comprehensive, integrated water resources management plan. Assistance will also be given to other resource bodies and local authorities, to develop groundwater quality and quantity monitoring and management systems, and to conduct public conservation, environmental protection and hygiene awareness campaigns.

A technical assistance grant of $600,000 from ADB’s concessional Technical Assistance Special Fund will be used for a needs assessment and to establish training courses on service delivery for relevant agencies and local authorities. The Government of Sri Lanka will finance US$ 65,000 equivalent for a total cost of US$ 665,000.

The Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage and the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Council are the executing agencies for the project, which is due for completion by February 2017.

For more information read the Jaffna Water Supply and Waste Water Management II project information document

Source: ADB, 01 Dec 2010

Sri Lanka: Nestlé Lanka drinking water projects now serve 12,000 people

Inauguration of new drinking water fountain at Kuliyapitiya Central College, donated by Nestlé Lanka

Nestlé Lanka has opened its 11th water fountain at Kuliyapitiya Central College in the island’s North Western Province. The fountain provides drinking water to more than 2500 students. This brings the total number of children and adults that have benefited from the company’s drinking water projects to over 12,000.

Nestlé Lanka has built water facilities in schools, hospitals and places of worship. In parallel, the company conducts water education programmes in rural schools to promote water conservation. The water projects are part of Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value programme in Sri Lanka.

Related web sites:

• Nestlé – Safe drinking water – Sri Lanka
• Nestlé – Creating Shared Value

Source: Daily Mirror, 14 Dec 2010

Sri Lanka: Treasuring every rain drop

“Let not a drop of water that falls from the sky flow into the sea….”

These were the words of Parakramabahu, a 13th century Sri Lankan monarch who constructed the Sea of Parakrama,a massive rainwater harvesting reservoir, which to this day irrigates vast stretches of paddy fields in the Gal Oya district of the country.

Rainwater harvesting has gained in popularity throughout the island in the past decades. It is a technique of conservation in which rainwater is harvested form roof and ground catchments, safely stored in special tanks and used when the rains fail. Sri Lankan archeologists have discovered a whole network of storage reservoirs, pools, artificial streams and fountains in the north and central regions of the country proving that rainwater has been an integral part of the irrigation system of the country.

Sri Lanka, Hambantota: Korea assists water project

The Water Supply and Drainage Ministry will launch a new water supply scheme at Hambantota district with the assistance of the Korean Government, Media Coordinator to Water Supply and Drainage Minister Lalith Rohana Liyanage said.

According to Liyanage, the project to be launched soon on the direction of Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to provide water for 112,000 people living in Hambantota and Ruhunupura areas.

The first phase of this scheme will cost Rs 9,742 million [US$ 86.4 million] and the second phase will cost Rs 3,760 million [US$ 33.4 million].

Ridiyagama tank located in Hambantota will be used as the water resource for the project, Liyanage said.

The Water Supply and Drainage Board is in the process of formulating the plans to implement the project, he added

Source: Nadira Gunatilleke, Daily News, 17 Jul 2010

Sri Lanka, Trincomalee: France funding mega water supply scheme

Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and French Ambassador Christine Robichon signed an Agreement to implement a mega water supply scheme in Trincomalee, a National Water Supply and Drainage Board spokesman said.

The spokesman said this mega water supply scheme is to be implemented in Trincomalee at a cost of Rs 1,800 million [US$ 15.9 million]. The French Government will fund this project and around 300,000 people in Trincomalee will benefit from this water supply scheme.

Meanwhile a new building complex is being constructed for the Water Supply and Drainage Ministry and the Greater Colombo Regional Office of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board.

The new building complex is at Pelawatta, Battaramulla. The Ministry is at a small building with minimum facilities which is at Narahenpita.

Source: Nadira Gunatilleke, Daily News, 10 Jul 2010