Water supply and use in the case study village
The study area is mainly fed by a village tank, which is accompanied by small sub-tanks further downslope adjacent to the paddy fields. Malwathu Oya and a sub-canal called Halpan Ela feed the area, originating from a major tank called Nachchaduwa wewa east of Anuradhapura. The water for the irrigation system originates from both rainwater and a major irrigation source, which in this region is the Mahaweli River, one of Sri Lanka’s largest rivers.
Mahaweli Rriver – one of Sri Lanka’s largest rivers
Water withdrawal is officially free of charge. However, the Farmer Organization collects a water tax for bearing the costs of maintenance and other management issues.
The tap water system in the village is well established, although the villagers are also aware of prices for filtered water. The majority of interviewees perceived the tap water as dirty or polluted or mentioned a strong taste of chlorine. To date, a subsidized public delivery system for filtered water is being installed in the country and people can buy it from delivery trucks.
Furthermore, the majority of interviewees own wells, which they use for watering the gardens, for washing clothes and for hygiene. These wells increasingly run dry during the dry season.