Water Environment Management
in Sri Lanka & role of the Central
Environmental Authority
Ramani Ellepola
Director General
Central Environmental Authority

CONTENTS
1. Status of water resources in Sri Lanka
2. Activities deteriorate water quality
3. Effects of Water Pollution
4. Institutes for water Environment Management
in Sri Lanka
5. Role of CEA in Wastewater Management

1

1.
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Status of water resources in SriLanka

Annual Rain fall –wet zone – over 2000mm/year
Intermediate zone – between 15001500- 2000 mm/year/Dry Zone – 1500 mm/year
River basins – 103 Total length – 4,500km
Total area of irrigation & multipurpose reservoirs – 169,941 hectares
Ground water Resources – 7,800 million m3 about 72% of the rural
population rely on ground water.
Total Annual Fresh Water Withdrawals - 13 billion m3 (2005)
Annual Fresh Water Withdrawals by sectors
Agriculture 87.3%
Industry 6.4%
Municipal (including domestic) 6.2 %(Source : Central Bank Report 2010)

Status of water resources in Sri Lanka- Contd

River basins – 103 Total length – 4,500km
Total area of irrigation & multipurpose reservoirs – 169,941 hectares
Ground water Resources – 7,800 million m3 about 72% of the rural
population rely on ground water.
Total Annual Fresh Water Withdrawals - 13 billion m3 (2005)
Annual Fresh Water Withdrawals by sectors
Agriculture 87.3%
Industry 6.4%
Municipal (including domestic) 6.2 %(Source : Central Bank Report 2010)

2

DISTRIBUTION OF RIVERS ANDTANKS (INCLUDING THOSEABANDONED)
Ground Water Resources
The total groundwater availability
in the island from infiltration,
percolation and sub-surface
circulation is estimated to bearound 7,250 – 7,800 million m3
per annum, which is about 15%of the country’s
surface water resources(Source: Sector Vulnerability
Profile Water August, 10 2010)

Planned Irrigation and water supplyprojects
 There are several irrigation and water supply projects

presentlyy beingg implementedpp
and plannedp

 Approval Granted

Projects

 Proposed Rambaken Oya Reservoir project in Ampara
 Moragahakanda Agricultural Development Project. – PAA

Ministry of Agriculture Proposedp
KaluGangag Reservoir and AgriculturalgExtension
Project Proposed Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project Proposed Kandy South Water Supply Project 2006 July 03
 Badulla Hali Ela and Ella integrated Water Supply Project3

Processing Projects


Kivul Oya Reservoir Project in Vavunia District
Lower Malwathu Oya Reservoir Project in Mullativu District
Morana Reservoir Project in Badulla
Kalugal Oya Reservoir Projects in Ampara
Talpitigala Reservoir Project in Badulla
Construction of Reservoir across Per area for water supply in Vavunia
Diversion of Mahaweli water to North Western Province
Proposed Upper Elehera Canal Project.
North Central Province Canal Project
Construction of a weir across Keleniganga to supply water to the Seethawaka
Industrial Zone
Proposed Mahagona Wewa Reservoir Project
Supplemental EIA for the Uva Oya multipurpose Development ProjectIncreasing the Height of Minipe Ancient at Elehera.
EleheraProposed Yan Oya Reservoir ProjectStatus of Kelani River
Kelani River, having the total length of 145 km and 2292 sq km of river basin is thesecond largest watershed.

Kelani River is an important source of drinking water for the Colombo District, wherewater supply intake point at Ambatale is 14 kilometers from the river mouthKelani River has the most potential for pollution due to passing through mostpopulated capital of Colombo and proximity of industries.

The main sources of water pollution are the land based sources such as treated anduntreated industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, domestic and municipal effluents.

Siting of high polluting industries which discharge large quantities of waste water isbeing controlled at present,
present in order to minimize pollution of the river
river.

4

Water quality of Kelani River
 BOD,COD&DO
BOD COD&DO off theh river
i are within
i hi standardsd dstipulated by CEA. Fluctuation of Chemical
Oxygen Demand , Dissolved Oxygen is reported
due to receiving effluent from industrial zones.
 EC of the river water is within acceptable range
except forf seasonall variationi i dued to salinityli iintrusion.

2.
Activities Contributing toDeterioration of Water Quality


Untreated wastewater discharge DomesticDi IndustrialHaphazard dumping of solid waste.
Agricultural run off Agro chemicals
 Fertilizers



S d mining
Sandi i activities
i ii
Unplanned development activities
Recreational activities
Unlimited water usage rather than requirement.

53. Effects of Water Pollution
Contamination of surface & ground water by nitrate &bacteria.
 Eutrophication of lakes & reservoirs.
 Bio accumulation of heavy metals.
 Increasing turbidity Decrease in water flow.
 Salt water intrusion
 Contamination by oil

4.
*Institutes for Water Environment
Management in Sri Lanka

Central Environmental Authority
Overall responsibility for protecting water EnvironmentNational
N ti l Water
W t SSupplyppl & DDrainageiB
Boardd- Drinking water and sewage ManagementBoard-–responsible for preparation of comprehensive and integrated plans forconservation, utilization, control and development of the groundwater resources in Sri Lanka.

Department of Irrigation – Regulation & control of inland waters

Water Resources Board

Mahaweli Authority – Maintenance of Mahaweli River and its reservoirs for development of lands

for agriculture.
g

Department of Coast Conservation – Conservation of the coastal zone and management of its
resources..
resources

Marine Pollution Prevention Authority
Authority-- protect the marine environment from shipbased and shore based maritime related activity.

National Aquatic Resources Agency –Aquatic Researches

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Environmental Protection In
Sri Lanka The need for environmental safeguards is enshrined inthe constitution
 Article 27 states that “the state shall protect, preserveand improve the environment for the benefit of thecommunity”
 Article 28f states that “the exercise and enjoyment ofrights and freedoms is inseparable from theperformancef
off duties
d i andd obligations
bli iandd accordingly
di l
it is the duty of every person in Sri Lanka to protect
nature and conserve its riches”.

Environmental Protection in
Sri Lanka In Sri Lanka there are a multitude of laws (morethanh 100!) withi h some provisions
iirelatingl i toenvironmental protection and Management.
 Some of the earliest legislation dates back to thelast century (eg. Forestry, Protection of highelevations))

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Environmental Protection In
Sri Lanka The National Environmental Act no 47 of 1980,

is the first comprehensive piece of legislation
dealing exclusively with environmental
Protection and Management.
 The Central Environmental Authority (CEA)
was set up in 1981 to implement the provisions
in the National Environmental ActAct.

HISTORY OF THE CEA
 CEA was set up in 1981, under the provisions in

the national Environmental Act no 47 of 1980
1980.
 At the inception, the CEA was a
COORDINATING AND POLICY MAKING
body with no regulatory authority.
 In 1988, amendments were made to the NEA
which
hi h transformed
fd theh CEA iinto a regulatory
lAgency.

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Central Environmental Authority
 The Central Environmental Authority is theNational
Ni l AgencyAffor Environmental
E ilP
Protectioniand Management in Sri Lanka
 CEA acts as a regulatory agency in approving
new infrastructure and industrial projects.
 It also maintains water quality through thestipulation of emission standards as well as
ambient standards

Regulatory tools & standards
Part IVIV- Environmental Management and Protection
P t IV APart
A- Environment
E it Protection
P t ti
Environment Protection Licence (EPL) Procedure
Hazardous Waste Management Licence (HWML) procedure
Part IV B
B-- Environment Quality
Environmental Standards for Emissions(Wastewater, Noise, Air emission, Vibration)
Part IV CC- Environment Management
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA),
Strategic Environmental Assessment(SEA)9Management of Water Environment
under 02 main Divisions
Environmental Pollution Control Division

Environmental
E it l Pollution
P ll ti Control
C t l Unit
U itWaste Management Unit
Laboratory

Environmental Management & Assessment
Division- Environment Impact Assessment Unit
- Natural Resources Management Unit
- Geo Informatics Unit

Environmental Pollution ControlDivision (EPC)Implementation of Environmental Protection Licence (EPL)
procedure for industries.

Environmental Recommendation (ER) procedure for new
industrial sites, - Administrative procedureImplementation of Scheduled Waste management Licence for
operating a facility for scheduled waste - regulation No.1 of2008



Solid waste Management regulation on Municipal Solid Waste
No.1 of 2009.



Monitoring of Industrial effluent quality.

Water Quality monitoring of selected surface water bodies.

10Environmental Management &Assessment Division (EMA)
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for major projects &Initial Environmental Assessment (IEE) for small scale projects.
 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Clearance for activities not listed in Part iv c of the NEA.
 Declaration of Environmental Protected Areas under section 24Cand 24D of NEA – 6 environmentally important areas have beendeclared.
 Preparation of management plans and implementing administrative
procedure for EPA s.
 Management of wet lands.
Environmental Education andAwareness Division
 This division deals mainly with educating thepublic
bli on environmental
il iissues
 The “Pioneer Brigade programme” is a
programme for school children spread out
islandwide
 School children earn badges upto the level of a
Presidential badge

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Provincial Setup of the CEA
 Establishment of regional offices island wide in 2007
 At present 08 provincial offices

08 district offices Power delegation to Local Government Authorities toperform duties of CEA ( for selected activities gazetteNo. 1533/16 dated 2008.01.25)

PILISARU PROJECT Haphazard disposal of municipal solid waste is amajor contributory factor to water pollution
 Pilisaru Project is being implemented by theCEA for setting up proper waste management
systems islandwide.
 As of today, a total of 95 small scale composting
projects
jhavehbbeen set up iislandwide
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Mahinda ChintanayaVision for the Future This policy document sets out the development

PolicyPli FramewarkFk off theh Government
Goff SriSiLanka.
 Environmental priorities Inland surface water protection targets
 CoastalC t l andd marine
i protection
t ti targetsttNational Programme for Environment
Haritha Lanka Programme Mission 07 “Water for all & always”
Strategy 04 – keep drinking water sources free from contamination
 Strategy 06 – enforce polluter pays principle for water pollution
industries & activities
 Strategy 08 – Reduce fertilizer leaching and eutrophication
 Mission 09“ Greening the Industries”

Strategy 01 - Consolidate cleaner production in industries
 Strategy 02 - Eco Industrial parks
 Strategy 03 – Certification of industries ISO 14000
 Strategy 04 – Greening the supply chain
 Strategy 06 – Incentives for environmental friendly investments
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THANK YOU

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Variation of DO and BO D during 2009-201020092010

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6.50Locations

DO -2009

DO -2010

BOD 2009

BOD 2010

Locations

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Variation of CO D During 2009-2010

Variation of EC during 2009-2010

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