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Besides being blessed with many resources such as fertile lands and a high biodiversity, Sri Lanka also has abundant water resources in aggregated terms. However, this picture is misleading due to seasonal and regional variations in water availability. Factors such as climate change, land degradation and pollution will also have an impact on the land and water resources of the country.
Many people in the country still depend on agriculture for their food security and livelihoods. Thus, the government has recognized the importance of this and the need to provide a reliable water supply.
With the end of the decade-long war, the Government of Sri Lanka is continuing to concentrate on development efforts that will lead the country into economic prosperity. IWMI, being one of the leading research centers on water issues and having over 25 years of research knowledge behind it, is in a key position to assist in the government's development efforts by contributing to improving the management of land and water resources for food, livelihoods and the environment.
What are Sri Lanka's Water Needs?
 The importance of water as a resource for agriculture, hydropower generation, and domestic and industrial uses has long been recognized and has led to the construction of numerous small tank cascades, large reservoirs and canals over the years.
Changing rainfall patterns due to climate change, catchment degradation, increasing demands, overuse and waste, pollution and many others threaten the available water resources and will lead to water scarcity.
The following factors need to be considered in addressing Sri Lanka's key water needs:
- Improve irrigation efficiency, including rehabilitation of existing tanks and reservoirs, in the dry zone of Sri Lanka
- Effectively manage groundwater resources to avoid overexploitation and pollution
- Include environmental water requirements in all water management strategies to avoid further degradation of ecosystem services
- Create effective mitigation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change
- Identify better options for water storage to capture surpluses during the wet season for use during the dry season
- Develop coping strategies to evaluate the associated benefits and risks in the use of wastewater in agriculture
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