Water Allocation Policy

Water Rights and Allocation Policy

Water Allocation Issues and Needs

1. Domestic Water Supply

Provision of drinking water and sanitation has been a government priority throughout Sri Lanka’s post-independence period. Targets have been set periodically with regard to population access to safe drinking water. With declaration of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, increased donor assistance was provided to meet these targets. However, it became evident that external assistance alone would not be sufficient to meet the increasing demand which resulted from population growth and economic development.

On a nation- wide basis, piped water systems and protected wells deliver safe

Industrial Water Supply

As with domestic water supply systems, industry requires water for such things as manufacturing, washing and for supply and sanitation for the work force .Finding adequate water supply for industry is becoming a serious problem because industrial water needs have typically not been included in water resource development plans. Industrial water requirements should be taken into account in water resource planning and in selecting the location of industrial development zones.

It is expected that industrial development will continue to take place throughout many parts of the county, provided that the necessary water supplies as well as other inputs available. An orderly process for relocating water from irrigation to industry and promotion of water reuse and other forms of conservation will be require in order to promote industrial development and to achieve its employment and income

Entitlements The right to use water will be granted trough water entitlements. Small scale users and individual water users supplied through group schemes will be exempt from the requirement to hold an entitlement. Entitlements will be granted for a fixed period of time, based on the specific water use. Water users’ compliance with the terms of their entitlements will be monitored and enforced.

Environmental and Social Water Requirements Environmental, social and cultural water uses will be protected by reserving minimum flows and storage volumes. This reservation of water will be made before water entitlements are issued.

Water Allocation Priorities Water will be reserved to protect small scale users, other social and cultural purposes and environmental values. Water entitlements will be issued to existing water users and to the extent that further water is available to new applicants. During period of drought the first priority for water allocation will be domestic use. Other water users will share the available supply in proportion to their normal