ADB VAVUNIYA WATER SUPPLY SCHEME BENEFITS THOUSANDS

Though connection fees and bills are a problem:

- By Kamanthi Wickramasinghe

Peru Aru Reservoir

Many residents in Vavuniya have benefited from the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Vavuniya Water Supply Scheme under the Dry Zone Urban Water Supply Project, which was initiated just after the conclusion of the civil conflict in 2009.

The Vavuniya Water Supply Scheme is the largest water project providing 12,000 cubic meters per day. The Scheme was completed in 2019, benefiting 80,000 people. It comprises a surface water impounding reservoir, a water treatment plant and a water distribution system.

The new reservoir constructed by building a dam across the Peru Aru River is the first large-scale reservoir constructed solely for drinking water purposes. During a recent tour organised by ADB, the Daily Mirror, along with other media, visited the Peru Aru Reservoir, the water treatment plant and also met with some beneficiaries of the project.

According to Kamal Dahanayake, Principal Project Officer at ADB, it had been challenging to mobilise resources and technical people in the area simply because there had been no water facilities in Vavuniya and Mannar. “We were challenged with land mines and other security issues as well. The other challenge was that there were paddy fields in the area, and people were resettling. They had to start cultivation, and we had to acquire that land and provide them with alternative land. We have a strong resettlement process where we have to compensate them properly before taking over. People were initially not happy to provide their land to this kind of project,” he added.