Preventing haphazard use of valuable groundwater
Will the government clamp down on unauthorised groundwater tapping and regularise it for future posterity? The Rathupaswela and the recent Chunnakkam and Kalpitiya groundwater issues have once again surfaced highlighting dangers of consuming polluted groundwater. Groundwater is being tapped in large quantities by industries, industrial promotion zones, hotels, shrimp farms, small scale irrigators, households and housing development schemes resulting in the depletion of the groundwater table and drying out surrounding wells in the location. The demand for groundwater has grown due to the population increase and economic development of the country.
Chairman - Water Resources Board A.C.M. Zulfikar speaking at a workshop in Colombo on the 'Importance of Groundwater Monitoring in Sri Lanka' last week said that a paper has been submitted to the Cabinet to restrict and regularise unauthorised digging up of groundwater in the country. "A proper mechanism has to be set up to conserve groundwater for future generations," he said adding that rapid pollution was the main threat to the groundwater table today.
A proper mechanism has to be set up to monitor the quality of groundwater and the greenlight has been given by the Minister and the Secretary of the ministry to set up such a network to monitor groundwater as it was the most important natural resource. "Water drawn from wells was the only source of information we have to determine quality and quantity of groundwater," he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, Engineer Nihal Rupasinghe said most problems are directed at the Ministry of Environment relating to ground water. "Recently we had a big problem in Chunnakam - Jaffna when it was discovered that oil had seeped into the groundwater table contaminating it. There were public protests and an outcry over the environmental issue. When oil gets mixed with groundwater it is difficult to separate it. A serious problem has arisen and as a result when people fall sick their kidneys are afflicted. Unfortunately many people are unaware of this health hazard and we have to find a solution to overcome this problem," he said adding that due to tapping of groundwater, other problems such as settlements and environmental issues too have arisen.
Almost 50 years ago even Japan faced a similar problem when they tapped for groundwater in cities such as Osaka creating resettlement problems.
Secretary - Ministry of Irrigation Gamini Rajakaruna said owing to the increased consumption of groundwater on a daily basis research was needed to access the quality of water extracted from the ground. "We have formulated a mechanism and discussing it to access quality of groundwater. But much information was needed in this respect. For this purpose we need proper research," he said. Project Director of the Dam Safety Project, Engineer S.R.K. Aruppola said that awareness has to be created among people at grassroot level and among school children in methods of not polluting the groundwater table. He said people should also be educated not to build factories adjacent to rivers and waterways and discharge noxious sulfurous waste matter polluting groundwater. They should also be educated not to discharge noxious fumes into the atmosphere to cause acid rain.
In 2013, a serious issue was reported in Rathupaswela in Gampaha district due to contamination of well water in the area. It was suspected that the emission of effluents from a nearby factory was the reason for the incident.
A study was conducted by the Water Resources Board through a groundwater monitoring network covering the entire area. Groundwater contamination was also reported in Chunnakkam, in the Jaffna district due to dumping of oil and grease into the ground in an unprotected manner. The residents of Batuwatte area also complained to the Central Environmental Authority regarding the contamination of their wells due to the activity of a mill located close by to their village. Following the complaint, officers of the Central Environmental Authority checked the water samples from the wells in the village. It has been found that groundwater contamination is happening in many parts of the country due to various human activities, incorrect agricultural practices and industrial activities.
(JJ)