JICA extends support for countrywide Sewerage Master Plan

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has extended support for the development of a Sewerage Master Plan to National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) since 2015, and the Master Plan has now been completed.  

On 13 August, JICA Sri Lanka Senior Representative Takashima Kiyofumi handed over the final documents of the Master Plan to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) Chairman Nishantha Ranatunga at the NWSDB Head Office in Ratmalana. 

NWSDB General Manager Eng. R.H. Ruvinis, Additional GM (P&P) Eng. T.S. Wijethunga, Additional GM (Sewerage) Eng. N.H.R. Kulanatha, Additional GM (WSP) Eng. T.W.S. Perera, DGM (ADB-JICA) Eng. Jaliya Seekkuge, AGM(JPU) Eng. S. Jayasinghe, AGM (Sewerage) Eng. K.P.P. Dharmasena, (JPU) Eng. C. Ruwanpathirana and Senior Project Specialist (JICA) Eng. M.G. Hemachandra participated in the event.

In 2010, the Sri Lankan Government declared that water and sanitation needed to be an “inalienable right” and set the goal of developing the infrastructure to provide access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities for the entire country by 2025. 

Currently, only 2.4% of the population of Sri Lanka has access to pipe sewerage. However, the piped water supply coverage is around 48%. There is a big gap between pipe water and pipe sewerage. Considering the above circumstances, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided technical cooperation for carrying out the studies as stated below:

 

• Strategic Master Plan under the Sewerage Sector for the whole island
• Five Cities Master Plan
• Detailed study for two most prioritised cities:
• Additional Study on Kotte Sewerage Development
• Additional Study on Nuwara Eliya Sewerage Development
  
   

NWSDB and many other stakeholders such as Kotte and Nuwara Eliya Municipal Councils worked together for development of this Master Plan to improve wastewater management and sanitation in Sri Lanka.   

The Strategic Sewerage Master Plan will be a catalyst to develop the sewerage sector in Sri Lanka by providing direction for wastewater infrastructure planning, investment, and implementation for an extended planning horizon. 

The review of existing infrastructure, identification of future needs, and appropriate treatment process and setting of development priority in this exercise will ensure benefits to public health and meeting of environmental goals.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is an incorporated administrative agency in charge of administering Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA), one of the world’s largest bilateral aid agencies supporting socioeconomic development in developing countries in different regions of the world. 

Under its new vision of “Leading the world with trust” set out in July 2017, JICA supports the resolution of issues in developing countries through a flexible combination of various types of assistance methods. In Sri Lanka, Japan has been providing financial and technical assistance since 1954 and is one of the largest donors to the country. 

On behalf of the people of Japan, JICA contributes to improve the lives of people in Sri Lanka.