Updates of Water Environment
Governance in Sri Lanka
Dr. R.M.S.K Rathnayake
Deputy Director General ( Environment Protection)
Central Environmental Authority

19th International Workshop of Water Environment
Partnership of AsiainTokyo, Japan
1

Content
1.Goals of water environment
2. Assess the status of water environment
3. Identify pollution sources
4. Measures implemented to address the issues
5. Evaluating outcomes & revising policies
6. Challenges & Future Plans

1. Goals of Water Environment

Overall Objective
Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic ofSri Lanka states ;– Chapter VI, 27‐(14): The state shall protect,preserve and improve the environment for thebenefit of the community– Chapter VI, 28‐(f): It is the duty of every person
in Sri Lanka to protect nature and conserve itsriches

Main Goals
Proper Implementation of Acts•

National Environmental Act No 47 of 1980, amended in 1988 & 2000 ‐ include
more regulatory provisions to protect & manage water environment.

•National Water Supply and Drainage Board Act‐ Water supply and Sanitation•Water Resources Board Act‐ Mainly to protect ground Water•

Irrigation Ordinance‐ Ownership of the surface WaterGoals•

Maintain ambient water quality at optimum levels.

•Control industrial effluent discharges according to the Regulations & standards•

Provisions to impose more stringent standards & criteria, depending on thesituation.

•Minimize Waste load to the environment by introducing Polluter Pays Principle

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

Category A
Water source
for simple
treatment

Category B
Bathing &contact
Recreationalwater

Category C
Fish & Aquaticlife water

Category D
Water
source forgeneraltreatment

Category E
Irrigation &Agriculture

Category F
Minimumwaterquality

TSS (mg/l )25‐4015002100‐

DO at 25C

655433BOD (mg/l)

34451215

COD (mg/l)

10101530‐

40Total Coli form
(MPN/100ml)

10,00010,000‐10,000‐‐NO3‐(mg/l)*310101010PO4‐(mg/l)*40.7

0.7

0.4

0.7

10‐

‐

Effluent Discharge Standard No. 1534/18 dated 2008.02.01
Parameter

InlandsurfacewatersRubberIrrigati Marineoncoastalareas

TextileType I

Type II

Tanning

Public Sewers

InlandMarinecoastal

TSS (mg/l )50‐15010010050100150500

BOD (mg/l)

30250

10050506060100350

COD (mg/l)

250400

250

400

400

250250300850

Total
Kjeldahl
Nitrogen(mg/l)

150‐

‐‐‐‐‐

‐

50030060‐‐‐

3004060--

Total
NitrogenAmmoniaca
l Nitrogen(mg/l)
Free
Ammonia

50‐

505050Effluent Discharge Standard No. 2264/17 dated 2022.01.27
Parameter

Marine waters

Coastalwaters

Inlandsurface

Agriculture

Leachates

Public Sewers

100500

Near
shore

short

Long

TSS (mg/l )30502505050

BOD (mg/l)

1575

400303025080400

COD (mg/l)

504008002502504001000

800150150

Total Kjeldahl
Nitrogen (mg/l)

350

Total Nitrogen(mg/l)
Ammoniacal
Nitrogen (mg/l)
Nitrate (mg/l)
Free Ammonia(mg/l)

1001550150

5050

1050501050

2. Assess the status of Water Environment
Water Quality Monitoring Programs & law enforcement
CEA Main Laboratory / Provincial / District Offices
Water Quality Monitoring Plans with the coordination ofmain Lab & EPC Unit
Compliance Monitoring Plans
Industrial effluent monitoring & inspections by CEAProvincial & District offices

Review & revise
policies &regulations bythe CEASpecial programs / projects carried out in collaboration
with other National institutions NWSDB, Department ofIrrigation

Compile water quality data, review the status by CEA Provincial / District offices
Special programs for rectification, Display in the CEA Web siteWater Quality Monitoring Programs• River surveys• Special projects for Kelani river & Diyawanna lake
• Regular monitoring‐– 9 main rivers out of 103 & 3 reservoirs• Randomly monitor other water bodies according to theurgent requirements• Self monitoring of polluting activities– High polluting need quarterly basis– Medium polluting need biannually or annually• Central laboratory and 9 provincial laboratories• 74 CEA registered private laboratories• 1 real time water quality monitoring station

Status of Water Quality & monitoring frequency
Water Quality Status (BOD, COD) of few Major Water Courses in SL ( 2021 – 2022)
River/Lake

Average
BOD,mg/l

Average
COD, mg/l

No ofLocations

No ofParameters

Monitoring
Frequency

1Kelani River

2

101723Once a month2

Kalu River4

71210

Once a month3

Maha Oya

27.1

814

Once a month4

Nilwala River210811

Once a month5

Badulu Oya

1.510712

Once a month

6Diyawanna
Oya

3.5

22.4

814

Once a month

7

Kurunegala
Tank

32749

Once a month8

Menik Ganga

2114

12

Once a month9

Deduru Oya

210

6

11

Once a month10

Attanagalu
oya

3.4

20

6

12

Once a month11

Wennaruwa
tank

2183

9

Once a month 10

Kelani River Water Quality Monitoring locations

3. Identify Pollution Sources• Industry– Control by regulations‐ by CEA• Domestic– Control up to certain level, by NWSDB and LA• Agriculture– No regulations, control administratively

2015 industry distribution in KRB & pollution levels

Low polluting
683
High polluting
1535

Mediumpolluting1417

2023 industry distribution in KRB & pollution levels

Low polluting
1283
High polluting
2813
Mediumpolluting1833

Wastewater generation & pollution status of Diyawanna Lake 2017& 2023
Type

Total No ofentities

Total WW
generation
m3/dayDirectdischarging
entities toDiyawanna
lakeDirectdischarge
Quantity
m3/dayDomestic

158

3666

42936

Industry72279

27191

Total230

3945

691127

4. Measures implemented to address the issues
 To address industrial wastewater issues– Special water quality monitoring programs & industrial monitoring tofind point & non point sources discharge to targeted water bodies.
– Effective implementation of existing laws/regulations– Impose stringent standards to targeted water bodies– Awareness programs to stakeholders & improve coordination– Register and monitor effluent transport facilities
 To address domestic wastewater issues– Implementation of regulation & laws for construction apartments,
housing facilities etc.
– Restrict constructions / houses in river reservations– Improve sewerage systems and treatment facilities– Improve onsite sewage disposal facilities– Education and Awareness Programmes

5. Evaluating outcomes & revising policies
Amending existing laws/policies
Revising 1993 cabinet memorandum for siting industries in the Kelani river basin.
Improving the criteria for siting in river basins by special emphasis on ;
1.
2.
3.

Categorize the industries as type A, type B, type C and revisit existing
categories of GN divisions.
Regulate the construction near riverbank and propose minimum
distances for industry location & other construction activities.
Waste load assessment for large scale industries to quantifying andanalyzing assimilation capacity of the river water to regulate thedischarges

Evaluating outcomes & revising policies Contd..
 Introducing stringent standards for Diyawanna Lake
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)– 10 mg/l

Chemical oxygen demand (COD)– 100mg/l

Total Suspended Solids (TSS)– less than 15 mg/l

Total Kjeldhal Nitrogen ( TKN)

– less than 2.5 mg/l

Ammonical Nitrogen– less than 1.5 mg/l

Nitrate (as N)– less than 10 mg/l

Total Phosphate (as P)– less than 2mg/l

Dissolved Phosphate– less than 1mg/l

 Amending NEA to include Wastewater Discharge Fee system.
 Adopt new technology / methods‐ Promote Johkaso treatment systems to small scale domestic entities‐ Regulate large scale domestic wastewater treatment systems(domestic) through EPL
process

6. Challenges & Future Plans
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Legal system controlled only pollution concentration not the load.
Difficulties in applying laws among government institutions
No proper treatment systems and disposal facilities for Industrial
Zones/estates
Unplanned urbanization without proper effluent disposal facilities.
Lack of stakeholder coordination
Improper municipal waste management by Local Government
Authorities
Lack of facility for hazardous waste management
No proper methods for sewerage sludge & industrial sludge disposal
Financial constrains in SMEs for pollution control
Environment is not a prioritized subject/conflict with development
Attitudes of public & Lack of awarenessChallenges & Future Plans contd..
Future Plans• Effective implementation of existing legislations• Improve and amend the existing legal systems• Classification of water bodies according to the ambientquality standards• Enhance the existing water quality monitoring programme
for all important and threatened water bodies• Develop a water quality index• Improve the coordination among relevant stakeholder
institutions• Improve collaboration with partner countries for system
improvements

Thank you