Community-based water governance for adaptation to water reduction and scarcity in Badulla district of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goal number 6 declares safe drinking water for all as a human right and it can be used as an indicator to measure development. While urban and municipal residents benefit from safe drinking water through centralized water supply systems, water supply for rural areas and estates were decentralized due to large construction costs, according to the demand-driven approach introducing community governance mechanism for water sources and water supply in rural areas. Community-based water societies emerged as a consequence of this situation. In Badulla district of Sri Lanka, 47% of community-based water societies depend upon natural water springs benefitting 46% of households in a particular area. Recently, two natural water springs dried up affecting 191 households and 10 communitybased water societies who depend on natural water springs are regulating their water supply hours due to a long and extended drought situation. This affected 1,953 households in Badulla. Further it represents 8.4% of households who depend upon natural water springs. Owing to the present water scarcity, 37 community-based water societies started catchment protection initiatives with the support of government and non-governmental agencies. One community-based water society in this district has collapsed due to lack of water with the drying up of their natural water spring and another is functioning with an alternative water source. Other community-based water societies are functioning to a varying extent because of water level reduction in natural water springs. While the climate is changing, there are development initiatives that, in particular, are affecting natural water springs.