Sri Lanka: Jaffna and Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project

Water and other urban infrastructure and services - Urban policy, institutional and capacity development - Urban sewerage - Urban water supply

Jaffna, the northern most part of the island, is a peninsula which significantly differs from the rest of the country in relation to geographic, demographic, economic, and administrative characteristics. Jaffna suffers from both income and non-income poverty. The resulting poverty headcount in 2005 was 43.4% in Jaffna District and 64% in Northern Kilinochchi. Years of civil war and, to a lesse extent, recent natural calamity, have resulted in continued depravation and increasing human poverty.

Groundwater resources in Jaffna peninsula are limited. Acute water scarcity problems are coupled with the deterioration of water quality. The aquifer, the main source of water, is fragile and at risk, exposed to contamination from sewerage and leachate seepage, and overextraction resulting from uncontrolled and unregulated water extraction for mutiple uses. Overall, less than 15% of the peninsula's inhabitants receive supply from any providers and onsite sanitation facilities are poorly maintained.

Improved water supply infrastructure

Improved sanitation infrastructure

Strengthened water resource protection and management

Project management and implementation system is operational

Component 1: Improved water supply infrastructure - A detailed feasibility study is ongoing for proposed 24,000m3/day sea water RO plant as the new water source.

Package 1 of distribution lines and Elevated Towers package 1 and 2 was awarded. Construction works under these contracts are in progress. The treated water transmission main package 1 and 2 was signed in June and August 2016. The mobilization advance is not yet submitted to ADB. Designs for other 2 distribution packages are completed, and will be advertised in Quarter 4 2016.

Component 2 - Improved sanitation infrastructure The detailed designs were completed. However, the component is dropped from the project during project restructuring.

Component 3: Strengthened water resource protection and management-

Water resource management committee was established and activity plan is being prepared.

Component 4: Project management and implementation system is operational- Capacity building activities is mainly undertaken through the TA 7676. The consultants are recruited and the capacity development plan is finalized. The trainings are ongoing.