- 1,897 community water sources at risk
Drinking water reserves are expected to be sufficient to meet requirements until the end of September, when rainfall is anticipated, despite 1,897 of the 5,464 water sources used by community water projects being at risk due to the prevailing drought, Water Supply Minister Dr Susil Ranasinghe said.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday (10), he said drinking water shortages had so far emerged in 36 Divisional Secretariat Divisions across eight Districts, affecting 40,945 families. Arrangements had already been made to provide water to the affected communities through bowsers and other means, he said.
Of the 352 water supply projects operated by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), only two have so far been affected by the drought, in Monaragala and Batticaloa.
In Batticaloa, the Unnichchai Reservoir, the main water source for the NWSDB, has seen its water level fall, resulting in the supply to around 75,000 families being reduced from 24 hours to 20 hours a day. However, following discussions with the Irrigation Department, authorities have been informed that the available water can be managed until rainfall is received in September. Three wells are also being constructed as a contingency measure.
Dr Ranasinghe said the NWSDB currently treats around 300,000 cubic metres of water daily. Groundwater from 59 sources provides around 77,000 cubic metres per day, while 59 reservoir-based sources provide around 712,000 cubic metres. A further 2.2 million cubic metres is obtained daily from rivers, canals, streams and other sources. The NWSDB also operates three seawater treatment projects.
The Irrigation Department has informed the Government that water capacity in its main major reservoirs is currently around 34%. “Water releases for agricultural activities have now ended, and we have been informed that the available water capacity is sufficient to manage drinking water requirements until the end of September,” he said.
Reservoirs operated by the Mahaweli Authority have an average capacity of more than 50%, with no current difficulty in obtaining water for treatment.
In Ampara, the Senanayake Samudraya, which supplies water to the area, is around 25% full. However, the available capacity is expected to last until rainfall arrives at the end of September, as agricultural water releases have ended.
Dr Ranasinghe said the Kalu and Kelani Rivers had not experienced a significant decline due to rainfall in their catchment areas. As a result, the NWSDB’s approximately 1.3 million customers in the Western Province are not currently at risk.
“A total of 5,464 water sources are being used by community water projects, of which 1,897 have been identified as being at risk because of the prevailing dry conditions,” he said.
Some of these sources have already dried up, while others are forecast to do so. The affected sources include wells, tube wells, small reservoirs, canals and small streams.