Water Safety Plans

1.0 Introduction

Catchments are land areas which divert water resulting from rain to water bodies through streams, creeks and part of the rain is infiltrated into the ground to form ground water. We use this natural collection of water to meet domestic, institutional, industrial and commercial purposes. Managing and protecting our catchments is essential to maintaining high quality, safe drinking water for our community.

Maintaining healthy catchments are crucial because purity of water to be assured before supplying water to the community. The greater part of the Kalu River catchment is used for human activities, such as plantation, agriculture, animal husbandry, home gardening and dwelling. The quality of water from these catchments can vary greatly, depending on the level of human activity within them, such as agriculture and urban development. So it is very much important to plan, implement and closely monitor the catchment areas to mitigate disastrous outcomes. While implementation of strategies aiming to protect catchments, the attention should be focused on,

• Community awareness of the impacts of human activity on our water quality.
• Promoting Education
• Appropriate land management practices
• Soil erosion control
• Planning permit applications
• Land use and re-placement of dwelling etc.

2.0 Kalu River Basin

The Kalu River, originating in the central hills of Sri Lanka, flows through Ratnapura, Horana and Kaluthara. The river empties into the ocean at Kaluthara. The total length of the river is about 129 km and covers a catchment area about 2,766 km². The river originates at the sacred mountain of Sri Pada and flows through the mountainous terrain with narrow beds and high banks on both sides. The soil erosion and sediment transport is high in this region and the river drops for the first 36 km from 2,250 m. msl to 14 m. before reaches Rathnapura town. Annual rainfall in the basin is 4,040 mm with ranging from 6,000 mm in mountainous areas and 2,000 mm in the low plain. It has the highest discharge volume with a mean annual flow volume is 4032 mcm.

Kalu River is vulnerable to pollution as a result of various human activities being occurred in the catchment and main river channel. Protection of catchment will lead to protect water sources imparting benefits to the community and water supply authorities. An investigation was made in the catchment areas within two districts and relevant divisional secretariat divisions through which the Kalu River flows in order to identify potential sources of pollution.

Catchment Management Activities

Panadura/Horana Region

1.) Panadura Water Supply Scheme – Water Safety Plan report revision-3 is completed and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

2.) Ingiriya/Nimalagama Water Supply Schemes – Water Safety Plan report revision-2 is completed and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

3.) Bandaragama Water Supply Scheme – Water Safety Plan report is completed up to module-8 and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

4.) Horana Water Supply Scheme – Water Safety Plan report is completed up to module-6 and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

Kalutara Region

1.) Aluthgama/Beruwala/Payagala Water Supply Schemes – Water Safety Plan report revision-3 is completed and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

2.) Mathugama Water Supply Scheme – Water Safety Plan report revision-2 is completed and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

3.) Bombuwala/Pilaminawatta Water Supply Schemes – Water Safety Plan report revision-2 is completed and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

4.) Kalutara/Wadduwa/Waskaduwa Water Supply Schemes – Water Safety Plan report is completed up to module - 7 and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

Dehiwala/Moratuwa Region

1.) Moratuwa Water Supply Scheme - Water Safety Plan report revision-1 is completed and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

2.) Dehiwala Water Supply Scheme - Water Safety Plan report revision-1 is completed and the Water Safety Plan is implemented in operation level.

Dodangoda Stakeholder meeting held on 2018.11.16