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Measuring and meeting demand for water – experience from Sri Lanka

Until recently, Sri Lanka faced few problems with water scarcity. With industrialisation, however, competition for water resources is increasing, especially in dry areas. Towards its goal of providing safe water for all by 2025, the government has sought to provide water through approaches based on demand.

The Overseas Development Institute has looked at Sri Lanka’s ten-year experience with the demand responsive approach (DRA) to identify some advantages and difficulties it presents. Previous water supply projects provided infrastructure without maintenance and did not encourage local ownership of water resources.

With DRA, the community contributes around 20 percent of initial capital costs and pays 100 percent of operation and maintenance costs. It also decides which system should be introduced, helps to install it and, through a community based organisation (CBO), is responsible for its management and collecting tariff payments. Communities are chosen for the scheme according to demand, which is measured by willingness to pay in cash and/or in kind through labour.

Case study analysis of two DRA projects in the north-central dry zone of Sri Lanka in 2004 found broad success in increasing people’s access to safe drinking water and in overall income and employment improvements. Specifically, the studies showed that:

The majority had improved access to cheaper, safe water, which consequently improved hygiene and sanitation.
Economic opportunities and food security improved with the availability of more time for income generating activities and of water for home gardens and livestock.
Women and girls had more free time through not having to go long distances to fetch water. They also benefited from improved security and dignity through private sanitation and bathing facilities and less humiliation as water carriers.
The improved facilities increased land values and owners’ assets.
CBOs in case study villages became strong organisations capable of managing other activities and development projects as a result of the planning and decision making process and management of the scheme.

However, some shortcomings inherent to the approach were apparent:

The poorest people, unable to contribute either cash or labour time, are often excluded entirely. Their ‘demand’ is not captured by the DRA, because they are not able to pay.
Those who are excluded remain reliant on existing water resources. Maintenance, which may be beyond their capacity, falls to them alone, causing the resources to deteriorate.

In order to continue the successes of this approach in Sri Lanka, and overcome some of its shortcomings, certain actions are necessary:

Demand should not only be measured according to willingness to pay. Planning requires greater sensitivity to the needs and abilities of all community members and decision making should be more inclusive.
Flexibility in payment regimes to take account of seasonal incomes and offering a mix of technologies might improve access for all.
Existing water sources should not be allowed to deteriorate.
Increased water use is an outcome of improved access, living standards and increased water based income-generating activities. Planning should take this into account when projecting future demand.
Greater attention should be paid to the social and economic factors that prevent the poorest people from benefiting.

Source(s):
‘Secure Water Through Demand Responsive Approaches, The Sri Lankan Experience’, Overseas Development Institute, London, Ariyabandu, R. and Aheeyar, M. 2004 Full document.

Funded by: UK Department for International Development

id21 Research Highlight: 15 June 2005

Further Information:
Marialivia Iotti
Overseas Development Institute
Water Policy Programme
111 Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE1 7JD
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 207 922 0312
Fax: +44 (0)20 7922 0399
Contact the contributor: m.iotti@odi.org.uk

Overseas Development Institute, UK

SecureWater

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