Updates on Industrial Wastewater
management in Sri Lanka
Dr R.M.S.K. Ratnayake
Deputy Director General ( Environmental Protection)
Central Environmental Authority

The 18th WEPA Annual Meeting
8 February 2023

Content
1. Industrial Water Pollution & sources
2. Legislative Framework for Industrial Wastewater Management
3. Industrial Effluent Discharge Standards
4. Status of Effluent monitoring & Inspections
5. Compliance with Regulations for Effluent Standards
6. Issues & Challenges in Wastewater Management
7. Recent Developments in Water Environment Governance1. Industrial Water Pollution & sources

1.1 Main Water Polluting Sources• Untreated wastewater discharge• Domestic• Industrial• Haphazard dumping of solid waste.
• Agricultural run off• Agro chemicals• Fertilizers• Sand mining activities• Unplanned development activities• Recreational activities

1.2 Major Industry Sectors & Categories• Textile• Food & Beverages• Alcohol & Alcoholic Beverages• Tanneries• Metal Finishing & Surface Treatment• Dairy• Rubber (Latex)• Agrochemical• Pharmaceutical• Clay, Glass & Ceramic• Health Care Services• Transport & Vehicle service• Paper & Pulp• Chemical1.3 wastewater generated from export processing zones
Export Processing Zone

TP capacity/m3/dTreatment method

Operated by1Biyagama

21,000Mechanically Aerated lagoon system, oxidation
ditch system

NWSDB

2Seetawaka

13,000Oxidation Ditch System

NWSDB

3Koggala

675

Activated Sludge Extended Aeration system

NWSDB

4

Katunayaka

3000

Flow through Aerated Lagoons system

BOI

5Mirigama

400

Activated Sludge Extended Aeration system

BOI

6

Wathupitiwala

900

Sequencing Batch Reactor system

BOI

7Polgahawela

450

Oxidation Ditch system

BOI8

Mawathagama500Oxidation Ditch system

BOI9Horana

1,000Rotating Biological Contactors system

BOI10Malwatta

450

Oxidation Ditch system

BOITotal

37,825

1.4 Total Number of high , medium & low polluting industries
December 2022 (CEA / EPL DATA BASE )
2.01%

29.71%
45.00%"A" Category"B" Category"C" Category"D" Category

23.21%

2. Legislative Framework for Industrial
Wastewater Management2.1 Legislative Framework for Industrial WastewaterManagement• 1980 - National Environmental Act (NEA) No. 47• 1981 - Established CEA as the Implementing Institution• 1988 - NEA Amended to include more Regulatory Provisions –Amendment Act No. 56 of 1988.
• 2000 - Amendment Act No 53 of 2000 – minister to determine
the prescribed activity for which an EPL is required.
PART IVEnvironment Protection & Management

PART IVA Environmental Protection Provisions (EPL and SWML)
PART IV B Environmental Quality standards & criteria
PART IV C Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure (EIA)2.2 Legal tools to manage & protect the environment
I.

Environment Protection License (EPL) Procedure• Activities, EPL is required are published, Gazette No. 2264/18 of 27.01.2022

ii.

Scheduled Waste Management License (SWML) Procedure• Scheduled wastes listed, in Gazette No 1534/18 of 25.01.2008• SWML required if generate/ store/ transport/ treatment of such wastes

iii. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)• Prescribed Projects and PAAs, Gazette No 772/22 of 24.06.1993, amendments.
• EIA need prior to start such projects

2.3 Quality Regulations & Policies to Protect Water Resources
i Effluent Discharge Standards
Gazette Extraordinary No. 2264/17 dated 27.01.2022 22ii Impose more stringent standards & criteria
iii Ambient Water Quality Standards
Gazette Extraordinary No. 2148/20 dated 11.05.2019
iv Committee for siting of High & Medium Polluting Industries
Vii Registration of gully bowsers transporting industrial effluent
Viii Environmental Protected Areasix Directives to LGA s on SWM

3. Industrial Effluent Discharge Standards

3.1 Effluent Discharge standards No 2264/17 dated 27.01.2022
1. Marine Waters;

near shore water, short sea outfall, long sea outfall
2. Coastal Waters
3. Inland Surface Waters
4. On land for agriculture purposes
5. Landfill leachates
6. Common treatment plant( can be down loaded from www.cea.lk)

3.2 Basic concept, or philosophy, for setting the standard values• Previous gazette 1534/18 dated 01.02.2008 ( standard rescinded in 2022)• Reviewed through expert technical committees• Referred related International organization's guidance such as WHO & othercountry background & standards.
• Removed industry specific relaxed standards – textile, tanning, rubber -technology
has developed for treatment.
• Applicable for prescribed industries• More options for wastewater discharge modes such as out falls• Protect coastal waters / near shore waters• Facilitate waste disposal ie leachate standards• Consideration of Radio Active pollution• Irrigation standard with accurate loading rates

3.3 Ambient Water Quality Standards No. 2148/20 dated 11.05.2019
Parameter

Category A
Water source forsimple treatment

Category B
Bathing & contact
Recreational water

Category C
Fish & Aquatic life
water

Category D
Water sourcefor generaltreatment

Category E
Irrigation &Agriculture

Category F
Minimumwater quality

TSS (mg/l )25-401500

2100-

DO at 25C

655433

BOD (mg/l)

34451215COD (mg/l)

10101530-

40Total Coli form
(MPN/100ml)

10,00010,000-

10,000--NO3(mg/l)*3

10101010PO4(mg/l)*40.7

0.7

0.4

0.710--

4. Status of Effluent monitoring &Inspections

4.1 Status of Effluent monitoring & Industrial Inspections• High & medium polluting industries- CEA• Low polluting industries- Delegated to Local Government Authorities• Regular inspections in Industries• High PollutingIssue EPL for max 01 year period & monitor
twice a year
• Medium Polluting- Monitor once in year• Self monitoring reports to be submitted by the industrialist from CEA
registered Labs & one from CEA Lab • High polluting need quarterly basis• Medium polluting need biannually or annually4.2 Compliance Monitoring
No of industries Inspected
2022

2021

2020

2019

High

1562

1312

1640

3158

Medium

1489

1237

1609

3366

Total

3051

2549

3249

6524

Inspections carried out in Industries located in river basins
Kelani river

Kalu river

Other river basins

2022

38

16

21

2021

28

1012

2020

122

15-Total

188

41

33

5. Compliance with Regulations for Effluent
Standards

5.1 Industrial Compliance, 2022

Category

No. of Industries

Compliance Status (EPL)

A (High)

1000

960 (96.0%)

B (High)

14292

14189 (99.2%)

C (Medium)

11162

11019 (98.7%)

D (Low)

21644

17855 (82.5%)

Total

48098

91.5%

5.2 Industrial Compliance- 2021,2020,2019, and 2018
Industry
Category

2021

2020

20192018

High Polluting
Industry

14,854 (99.42%)

14,078 (99.47%)

13,582 (99.42%)

12,976 (99.37%)

MediumPollutingIndustries

10,340 (99.72%)

10,522 (99.11%)

10,476 (99.50%)

10,527 (99.30%)

Low Polluting
Industries

21,648 (79.29%)

20,725 (77.90%)

20,053 (79.56%)

18,958 (74.65%)

6. Issues & Challenges in Wastewater
Management

6.1

Issues & Challenges in Industrial Wastewater• EPL system applied only for Pollutant Concentrations not for the load.
• Law Implementation difficulties for Government services• Non compliance (Time to time) of Industrial Zones/estates.
• Improper MSW management by Local Government Authorities• Financial constraints to establish continuous monitoring programmes• Lack of facility for hazardous waste management• No proper methods for sewerage sludge & industrial sludge disposal• Financial constrains in SMEs for pollution control.

6.2 Targets for Proper Effluent Management• Implementation of load based standards – need technical & financial support• Implementation of siting regulations – NEA amendments• Enhance monitoring of industries and water bidies- need technical &financial support• Low cost treatment technologies for very common, small & medium
types industries.- need technical support• Develop final disposal facilities for MSW, sludge including hazardouswaste

7. Recent Developments in Water
Environment Governance7.1 Recent developments in Water EnvironmentalGovernanceAmendments to the National Environmental Act No 47 of 1980 - CEA• Inclusion of Levy of charges for the wastewater discharged to the environment

based on the Polluter Pays Principle• Payment of the wastewater charge or the surcharge• Natural resources damage assessment and valuation• Initial approval for siting of industries ( new site approval)• Extended Producer Responsibility for management of waste• strengthened the punishments

Other Institutions• Drafted Water Policy coordinated by all the stakeholders - by the Departmentof Irrigation•Introduction of Sanitation Master Plan – National Water Supply & DrainageBoard7.2 River Water Quality Improvement & Monitoring Programs• River Survey - Two weeks Rapid survey was conducted to identify river waterpollution in the year 2020 –10244 pollution points, 942 are due to industrial WWBased on the Survey data “Surakimu Ganga” Program was initiatedPrepared programme for improve water quality of rivers.
• Kelani River Industry SurveyUp dating industry data base, for strict monitoring of polluting activities along Kelani river(within 500m distance).
• Laboratory Facilities
Accredited Central laboratory and 9 provincial laboratories• 74 CEA registered private laboratories• Real time water quality monitoring station located at Ambatale, 02 stations proposed by“Surakimu Ganga ‘projectThank You!