Water Resources

Management
At global level, three fourth of the earth’s surface is covered with water resources
comprising 97.3% salt water and the balance 2.7% as fresh water. Of the latter, 77%
occurs polar ice and glaciers, 22% groundwater, 0.3% in lakes and rivers and 0.7% in
soil moisture and atmospheric vapour
 Global water consumption
……
 The global water consumption is doubling every 20 years and is more than
twice the rate of population increase

 By 2030, more than half of the world population will face a shortage of water.
Water Consumption

Asia
Global water consumption in different
sectors ……

Agricultur
Domestic e 67%
17%
Per capita Water use in different regions

N & C America
– 5 m3

Asia –
1.8 m3
And also groundwater is coming as popular source for
agriculture
Main source water resource---Annual Rainfall
 Major aquifers of Sri Lanka

1. Shallow karstic aquifers

Northern province

2. Shallow aquifers on
coastal sand

3. Deep confined aquifers

4. Alluvial aquifers

5. Regolith aquifers of the

hard rock region

6. Laterite (Cabook)
aquifers
 Natural and anthropogenic controls on groundwater
quality

In general, the chemistry of groundwater is controlled

by the type of geological materials through which the
water flows and the amount of time the water is in
contact with these materials.

In addition, anthropogenic activities too can add to

the quality of groundwater.
 •Available fresh groundwater is polluted –
several activities natural / man made

• Protection
from contamination
and conservation of available fresh water
very imperative to Satisfy the requirement
of population
Problems in Sri Lankan Aquifers - Solutions

1. Development of salinity
2. Nitrate Contamination
3. Hardness
4. E –coli
5. Fluoride
6. Iron
7. Heavy metal contamination
 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AVAILABLE WATER

1. Development of salinity
1. Over extraction
1. Sand harvesting from coastal areas
2. Rapid rate of extraction
2. Salt water spry in the costal area
3. Own property
4. Digging of Deep wells
Wet season water table
5. Excess pumping and irrigation
Dry season water table
Wet season lens

Dry season lens Excess

pumping

msl
msl
Fresh water

Salt water
Salt water intrusion
Salt water up coning (Ref. Prof.Y.D. Joshuva)
Over Extraction –hp water pump and
electric motor

15
 Indication of Salinity development ……..

Spatial variation of EC Spatial variation of Cl-

Recommendations ……

No body shall use water pump above the capacity of 1½” diameter
and 1.5 hp for cultivation purpose during 1st of April – 30th of
September

Pumping from wells for agricultural purpose will be limited from

4.00 pm to 8.00 am

Not allowed for continuous pumping for more than 1½

hours from any particular well

Implementation for the followings

Efficient irrigation practices
Water use efficiency, maximizing profitable cropping pattern and crops

Renovate all monitoring ponds with the view to retaining run

off surface water and to increase the recharge
Renovation of available ponds during dry season to
Collect the rainwater and to Increase the recharge

18
Artificial percolation pits
2.4 m length, 0.9 dia

19
Rain water harvesting
2. Nitrate Contamination
Spatial variation of Nitrate –N in Chunnakam aquifer

1. Due to over fertilizer usages

2. Improper planning of soakage pits and latrines

3. Improper waste disposal systems
 Fertilizer and agro chemical application ;

No extended wall ; Waste water disposal ;

22
Improper waste water disposal system;

23
 Proximity to latrines
Proximity to % of the
Latrines (m) wells
< 10 12.5
10 – 15 40
15 – 20 12.5
> 20 35

Recommended distance greater than 15 m

52.5% wells did not satisfy the requirement

24
Proximity to Agricultural lands

Proximity to % of the
Agricultural lands (m) wells 40% of the wells are with in
the agricultural land
<5 32.5 near to the field
5 – 50 7.5
50 – 100 10
> 100 50

The distance of animal raring houses to shallow wells were

Within 100 m for 20% of tested wells

Good correlation was observed in distance to agricultural,

animal raring areas to nitrate-N concentration
25
 MANAGEMENT OF NITROGEN
Best Management Practices
Water supply wells
 Crop rotation
 Rate and time of fertilizer  Surrounding
application
 Spot application
areas should be
 Slow releasing fertilizers protected from
 Bio-intensive gardening agricultural
 Pot culture
Micro Irrigation
activities
 Minimum tillage

26
 Bioremediation technology

Plants around the wells

27
Home garden with Native
plants

28
3. Hardness
Avg hardness (mg/L) 750
SLS Per

500

SLS Des
250

0
0 10 20 30 40
Well No

• Probably high value of hardness – due Ca and Mg

29
 Calcium (mg/l)

100
150
200
250
300
350

0
50
C7
E6
F6
NW2
NW4
B6
D5
E5'
E5
F4
F5
C1
B2
A2
B3
C4
Concentration of calcium

NW9
C2
D2
D3
NW11
NW12
Problems due to hardness
There are concerns associated with drinking
water with excessive hard water

 High risk for cardiovascular diseases

 People suffer from calculi
 Unfavourable taste for drinking
 Deposition in the supply
pipe lines
31
Hardness - scaling
 removal of Hardness

 Ion Exchanges
 Coagulation & sedimentation
 Electro Coagulation
 Boiling
 Aeration
 Boiling after aeration
 Aeration after boiling
 Filtration
 Removal of Hardness

400
Total Hardness

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
Boiling 4 hrs Aeration Electro coagulation Overnight Aeration Boiling After
Aeration

Treatments

Raw water Treated water

 Boiling of Water
100

90

80

% 70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
5 10 15 20 30 60

Time (Minutes)

water loss % Reduction of Total Hardness

Electro Coagulation Unit
Electrocoagulation Plant at
Asokamalagama
4. Contamination of E.coli
Out of 44 wells only 4 wells
were contaminated with
E.coli but No coliform
50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
E5'
D5

A2

D2
D3
C7
E6
F6

B6

E5
F4
F5
C1
B2

B3
C4

C2
NW2
NW4

NW9

NW11
NW12
 E.coli contaminated water

Boiling of water

Filtration :- Membrane filter

Biosand filter
SODIS- Household water treatment method
-
5.Fluoride
Upper
limit

lower limit

Most of the wells were below the

recommended
level of 0.5 mg/l ------deficiency
 Fluoride distribution in
Sri Lanka

Source: Chandrajith et al., 2012

Dental Fluorosis
Electro Coagulation Unit
 6. IRON
Iron is one of the most common elements found in
accounting for at least 5% of the earth’s crust.

All water supplies contain some measurable amount of

Iron

If found in excess, brownish yellow colour, stains and

undesirable odors and tastes in the water.
Iron concentration in
groundwater
Removal of Iron
From Tank

Sieved sand
0.5 – 1.0 mm

Gravel bed
10 mm 5-15mm
 0.5
1.5
2.5
3.5
4.5

0
1
2
3
5

4
A1
A2
A3
B2
B3
B4
B6
C1
C2
C3
C4
C5
C6'
C7
D1
D2
D3
D4
7. Heavy metals

D5
D6
D7
E2
E3
E5
E6
E5'
F4
F5
F6
G4
G5
NW1
NW2
Concentration of As in (ppb)

NW3
NW4
NW5
NW6
NW7
NW8
NW9
NW10
Less than 0.05 mg/l

NW11
NW12
NW13
 Requirements for Water Resource Management in Sri
Lanka

1. Legislation and Institutional setup

Water management in Sri Lanka is in its infant stage as

there is no single or formally accepted water policy
or water law but with initiatives towards policy making
at present.
 Requirements for Water Resource Management in Sri
Lanka
2. Monitoring, Research and Training

•There is limited budget allocation from national

public funds for water resources research
•The data originated by the government and non-
governmental organizations are not shared among the
academic research activities.
•Most studies are of a localized and fragmented nature
with relatively little reporting in national and
international scientific literature.
•There is inadequate exchange of knowledge between
Sri Lankan researchers and the planners of the water
related agencies.
 Requirements for Water Resource Management in Sri
Lanka

3. Public Awareness and Participation

Public awareness programmes or community level
participatory programmes on groundwater resources
are important

to alarm the public on toxic waters and prevent them

from consuming and make them understand the future
perspectives of water demands.
 Requirements for Water Resource Management in Sri
Lanka

Farmers should be included in Joining forces for the

shared responsibility of optimizing use and
protection of groundwater resources

Water related studies have not been included in the

school level curriculum
….. towards utilization of groundwaters and guiding
policies towards groundwater rights and protecting
groundwater is expected to be of great importance.
 Requirements for Water Resource Management in Sri
Lanka

In a rehabilitation and reconstruction planning era it is

necessary to join together to plan our resource for the
future generations.

Successful planning and development of water

resources arise from grassroots will help to sustainable
development of water resources