Page 147 - Prathima Volume 12

CBO managed water supply projects in mitigating rural water deficiency in the
selected coastal villages of Akkaraipattu region, Sri Lanka
5. Results and Analysis

The water crisis has been identified as a challengeable issue for ensuring sustainable
development at present. It is focusing that the 'water war' will be taken place in many
countries in 2025, particularly these issues will escalate as a result of population
growth, environmental pollution, usage of chemicals and polluted underground water
sources. As a developing nation, in Sri Lanka, the water crisis, especially the rural
water poverty occurred in 14 districts. Thus, the government of Sri Lanka has been
implementing two different water supply systems under national water supply
scheme. First system is 'urban water supply' (surface water) and the second system is
'rural water supply' (underground water source). The surface water sucked from dam
and lake and purified or chlorinated, and then supplied to urban, suburban and the
semi-urban areas island-wide including this study community. This urban water
supply system is directly implemented by the National Water Supply and Drainages
Board (NWSDB). At the same time, rural water supply is handled by Community-
Based Organizations (CBOs) with the consultation or direction of NWSDB. But the
CBOs are responsible and local people are key stakeholders in these water supply
projects. The rural water supply system occupies underground water rather than the
surface water. In this background, approximately 4000 rural-village water supply
projects have been implemented by the government to eradicate water poverty. All
these systems are managed by the CBOs in many villages in Sri Lanka (Report on
Existing Water Supply Schemes, 2014).

This study tries to understand how rural water poverty has been reduced with the
participation of CBOs. The water supply in the south-eastern coastal part of Ampara
district is managed by the Akkaraipattu NWSDB regional administration. Thus, there
are four Divisional Secretariats namely; Navithanveli, Lahugala, Pottuvil and
Alayadivembu taken into account of this study. The following table shows the CBO
managed water supply scheme in many villages (rural segments) of aforesaid areas.

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