AYUBOWAN

Progress of Water Environmental
Governance/Management andFuture Challenges in Sri Lanka
ByDr. R M S K Ratnayake

DirectorCentral Environmental Authority
Sri Lanka

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Introduction

About Sri Lanka
 Rich in Natural Resources 103 Rivers Cover All Island More than 1000 Lakes

 9 Provinces and 25 Districts
 Capital is Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte in ColomboDistrict
 65610 Km2 of Total Land Area
 20 Million Population
 2000 mm of Annual Average Rainfall Provides 131230
Millions m3 of Fresh Water

1. State of Water QualityWater Quality Status (BOD, COD) of few Major
Water Courses in SLRiver/Lake

BOD, mg/l

COD, mg/l

Kelani River

210Bolgoda Lake

1-220

Mahaoya4-510Mahaweli River

5-10

15-20

Gregory Lake

2-420

Kandy Lake

718

Lunawa Lagoon

2550

BOD Variation of Mahaweli RiverDown Up
Stream StreamNov2010

14mg/l17mg/lDec
2010

6 mg/l 7 mg/l

Jan
2011

6 mg/l 9 mg/l

BOD Variation of Kandy LakeJan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul2010

2010

2010

2010

2010

2010

2010

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan2010

2010

2010

2010

2010

2011

B 7 8 11 10 4 16 10 17 13 13 25 26 5O
DC 15 17 18 35 18 28 19 40 31 36 49 53 OD

 Changes in Water Quality
 Continuous monitoring of water quality for

few waterways started in 2009 by CEA
 Mahaweli River, Kandy Lake, Kelani River

 According to available data not significant

change observed during the past 3 years

 Kidney failures in North Central Provincial

areas due to Drinking water problem (40-50
people died in last few years)

2.Changes of Organisational Arrangement
Related to Water Quality ManagementOverall responsibility with regulatory power- CentralEnvironmental Authority

Drinking water and sewage Management- National

Water Supply & Drainage Board

Lakes and Irrigation canals- Irrigation Department

Mahaweli River and its constructed reservoirs- Mahaweli

Authority

From 2004-2010; Not any main changes in institutionalsetup

3.


Water Quality ManagementPolicies

National Policy Document for whole Environment
in 2009- “Haritha Lanka Programme”, Cabinet

approved

Mission No. 7 out of 10 is for Water
Environment- Water for all and always
 Strategies:
 Establish a systematic water allocation system andimprove efficiency and quality in water distribution forvarious purposes Organize a rehabilitation scheme for small tanks andrevitalize the tank cascade system developed Transform the irrigation system to meet newchallenges
 Keep drinking water resources free fromcontamination through proper zoning andcontrol measures
 Integrate conservation, re-use and recycling
practices at all levels of water use
 Strictly enforce the polluter pay principle forwater polluting industries
 Strengthen implementation of integrated
water resource management systems
 Reduce fertilizer leaching and eutrophication

4. Changes in Laws, Regulations& Standards
Umbrella Act for the Environment- NEA (1980,Regulatory Power in 1988)
 Implementing Institution – CEA (Established in1981)
 After 2004- No any changes/amendments in themain law
 Amendment to the main law is in progress A joint cabinet paper submitted by CEA andNWS&DB for policy on locating high polluting
activities down streams of the water intakes- butit has approved subject to some amendments In 2008- Regulations for water pollution

control has been amended

 EPL required activity lists has been changed
 Hospitals and laboratories included Wastewater discharge standards has beenchanged New parameters included, colour, detergent

 Regulation made for hazardous waste

management, hospitals, heavy metals etc.

5.

Goals of Water Quality Management
Policy in short-/mid-term (2-10 years)

Most of the point sources of water pollution are
identified during the last year survey
 90% of them to be controlled in next 2 years
period Wastewater load to the waterways to be
reduced by applying load based licence system
in next year New regulation will be prepared for locating
polluting industries/activities up streams of thewater intakes- this year Sea out falls to be constructed for sewage

disposal in populated cities – next 10years
 Wastewater discharge standards to beamended in this year Continuous water quality monitoring inmain rivers and lake – in next 5 years
 Regulation to be made for site
recommendation procedure for locating
industrial activities

6. Challenges in Water Quality
Management Issues/challenges related to Ambient WQ

standards

 No any ambient WQ standard established From year 2008 CEA is engaging with thistask
 Without baseline data on WQ of water
courses, many difficulties in this process
 CEA called meetings with other relevant
institutions NWS&DB, NARA, Irrigation etc.

 Issues/challenges related to industrial

effluents

 Economical issues in small and medium

enterprises for pollution control Technology
 Weaknesses in law enforcement Willingness to apply cleaner technologies Issues/challenges related in domestic

effluents

 No any strong existing law
 Lack of sewage network facility at least for

populated cities
 Encroachments of reservations of thewaterways
 Unavailability of proper zoning plans in local
government authorities

Disposal of raw sewage to surface
watersDisposal of Solid waste into surface waters

Encroachments of river bank

Improper urbanization in lagoon Issues/challenges related to enclosed

water bodies lakes and reservoirs
 Nutrients accumulation
 Agrochemical accumulation
 Silt deposition
 Industrial effluent discharges

 Standards are same as the standards forflowing water bodies
 Funds for monitoring and rehabilitation Issues/challenges related to ground water Facilities for sampling and analysis
 Lack of available baseline data Less research on this subject

 Issues/challenges related to water quality

monitoring Allocation from national budget
 Laboratory staff-chemists etc.
 Lack of coordination in relevant institutions
 Non continuation of monitoring Failures in self reporting system in industries

Water Sampling Using Mobile Laboratory

Thank You