Urban Groundwater Management Issues in Sri Lanka

The demand for ground water in Sri Lanka has grown rapidly over the past few decades, mainly as a result of population growth, economic development, and shortages of rainfall. Recent estimate show that over 55 percent of the population now relies on groundwater for their domestic water requirements. As a free and easily tapped commodity, groundwater today is utilized in a wide variety of uses. In some parts of the country including many locations in Kandy and Colombo, high pumping rates have lowered the groundwater table, causing the wells to go dry and affecting the natural water courses including those used for drinking. If these situations get worse, water shortages could become severe, especially during the more frequent extended dry spells being experienced, possibly due to climatic changes. Further, water pollution from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources is contaminating the surface water and groundwater and affecting the environment and further placing more pressure on the available water resources. Therefore this paper identifies several critical issues as urgent challenges to be immediately addressed and proposes policy recommendations to achieve sustainable groundwater resources in Sri Lanka.