::: VISION 2025 :::

Population Growth & Urbanization

A refreshing finding of the Sri Lanka Water Vision exercise is that by 2025 the population, unlike in the rest of South Asia, would stabilize at around 23 million. With the water resources available, the size of the population, in itself, will not be a problem yet its distribution and urban-rural composition could pose serious problems.

The Problem

Following current trends, the proportion of urban population will reach nearly 60% overall but will be higher in the Western Province where more than half the urban population live today.

In absolute numbers this will mean an increase of urban population from the present 5.6 million to 15 million. Nearly 10 million of the urban population in 2025 would crowd into urban centers in the Western Province. This will place a severe strain on the already over-stretched water resources and the infrastructure for water supply and sanitation.

The development of industries and services, which are also concentrated in this region, will further worsen this situation by adding to the demand for water supply and waste disposal.

Similar problems will be faced by other major urban centers also which would have to absorb 3-4 million additional urban residents and industries and services.

Water scarcity and water pollution can be a major impediment to an orderly transition from a largely rural to an emerging urban society.

Trade, tourism, aviation and shipping, and IT services are projected to expand rapidly in the next 25 years. Because of the social development that has already been reached, the emerging knowledge based society will demand a higher quality of life with safe potable water on tap, good sanitation, a safe and clean environment and good health.

The problem, however, is not with urbanization as such, which is beneficial for the economy, but with the geographical pattern and nature of that urbanization; urban and industrial development must, therefore, not take place without reference to sustainable use of water and must be planned taking into account the capacity of water resources in each river basin to sustain urban population, and industries and services associated with urbanization.

Opportunities

Formulation and implementation of comprehensive urban-regional plans with water availability factored in. The policy of giving priority to drinking water will be respected in reconciling the competition for water in scarce situations..

Improved technology Recycling of water and rainwater harvesting to meet much of the demand for industrial and non-consumptive uses in homes, hotels and commercial premises.

Water rates and other incentives would encourage proper use of good quality water.

Duplicate water systems and even desalination are potential technological solutions that would become economically feasible for urban and industrial use by 2025

The major constraint in implementing some of these measures will be the investment required; without large investments they cannot be implemented. As the government is unable to mobilise that volume of investment, it is necessary to attract private investment into this sector (see Annex 1) The possibility of doing this depends on its profitability, - installing efficient systems of water supply to minimize water losses from them, good management, and charging economic rates.