In 2007, some 80% of Sri Lanka’s population had access to safe water supplies, through either piped, protected well, or rainwater systems. The same proportion had access to safe sanitation. Notwithstanding this relatively high overall access ratios, challenges remained in maintaining service levels while extending services to the unserved population, especially in the low-rainfall northwestern dry zone. About 60% of the population in this zone lacked access to safe water and safe septage disposal, and the situation was exacerbated by the 30-year conflict – water supply systems were disrupted, the influx of displaced persons put extra pressure on existing services, and poverty was greater than the national average.
To help address the challenges, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved the Dry Zone Urban Water and Sanitation Project in November 2008, for an initial loan of $59.8 million and two grants aggregating $23.2 million. One of these two grants was accessed from the ADB-administered Netherlands Water Financing Partnership Facility. In 2012, ADB approved $40 million of additional financing, mainly to meet civil works cost increases. The project’s envisaged impact was improved welfare in the northwestern dry zone. Its expected outcome was improved urban water and sanitation services in the project towns. Project outputs focused on developing water and sanitation infrastructure, strengthening water sector institutions, and building the management and implementation capacity of the regional support centers (RSCs).
Except for the full rehabilitation of the existing groundwater treatment plants (GTPs) in two of the four project towns, the project achieved most of its intended physical outputs. Existing boreholes, wells, and tanks were rehabilitated, and new ones were constructed. Surface water sources and water treatment plants (WTPs) with larger capacities were developed to meet existing and projected demands. Transmission lines and distribution networks were likewise expanded. Septage treatment plants (STPs), with a supply of vacuum tankers, and public toilets were constructed. So were household toilets in peri-urban areas, facilitated by community-based organizations and divisional secretariats.
Project interventions in training helped strengthen the RSCs’ capacities in business management, water supply modeling, operation and maintenance, systems automation, and service delivery. WTPs were highly automated, with systems remotely linked to the RSCs. Decentralization of service delivery was supported. River basin catchment protection and management plans and proposals for rectifying long-term water deficiencies were prepared, along with training programs and guidelines for the formation of district integrated water resource management forums. However, the lack of a suitable national partner institution precluded the wider sustainability of the plans.
By delivering on most of its output targets, the project effectively achieved its intended outcome. Because of the project, 283,000 people, comprising 130% of target, gained access to 120 liters/day piped municipal water, with a 24-hour service that complies with the World Health Organization standards. However, only 385,500 people or 96% of target will benefit from the project water supply schemes by the end of its design life in 2032. The shortfall over the full period is caused by the project’s inability to fully complete the rehabilitation of two GTPs. For sanitation, 283,000 people, constituting 283% of target, gained access to effective septage removal and safe disposal services at new STPs due to the project. Some 7,592 people, against the 5,320 target, benefited from new household toilets. Wider benefits were provided through 18 new and rehabilitated public toilets.
Overall, the project thus achieved its envisaged impact. It contributed to significantly reducing the poverty headcount index in the area from 13.1 in 2006 to 1.7 in 2016. A substantial reduction has also seen in regional income disparities, with the poverty head count in the region declining by eight times, compared to the national average that has decreased by only four times during the same period. Cases of waterborne diseases have also been observed to be generally too low to have any effect on the population’s health.
The project had the Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage as executing agency, and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board as implementing agency.
