Sri Lanka : Rapid Assessment of Sea Water Desalination and Other Alternative Water Sources for Jaffna Water Supply

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban water supply

L2710/L2711 for Jaffna-Killinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project (Project) was approved on 29 November 2010 and was made effective on 6 May 2011. The main objective of the Project is to provide safe drinking water to 300,000 people and improved sanitation to 80,000 people in Jaffna Peninsula in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. The Iranamadu irrigation tank in Killinochchi has been selected as the water source for the Project. This tank is being used by the farmers in Killinochchi district to irrigate their cultivations. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in 2007 between the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation of North East Provincial Council to share the water from the Iranamadu tank with the farmers, for purposes of the Project. The Project plans to raise the Iranamadu tank bund by two feet to enhance water retaining capacity. However, concerns have been raised by the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) and the farmers with regards to the water adequacy in the Iranamadu tank to share the water for drinking water needs in the Jaffna Peninsula.

A water balance study carried out by the Project in 2013 concluded that the water supply to Jaffna Peninsula, as then proposed, could be met without major deficits, but that total supply failure could take place 27 days per year. This meant that water shortages would be experienced by both the farmers and drinking water consumers during drought periods. Under these circumstances, NWSDB decided to investigate and develop alternative water sources to be used during drought seasons. Potential alternative water source options identified are: (i) ground water extraction in Jaffna Peninsula; and (ii) development of surface water reservoir in the downstream of Iranamadu command area. Several studies have been carried out, both under the Project by NWSDB, as well as by other agencies, to assess the potential of alternative water resources in Jaffna and Killinochchi districts as drinking water sources for Jaffna Peninsula. The government has decided to review these studies and to assess the feasibility of alternative water sources. In addition, in the absence of the Iranamadu water sharing agreement, the government is currently considering the possibility of a more reliable water source to Jaffna Peninsula by desalination of sea water.