Vision of the Department
Safe Drinking Water through Sustainable Community Water Projects.
The mission of the Department
“Executing Community Water schemes & Sanitation Development, Community Water Organizations empowerment & Regulation, Water Sources conservation, Department Capacity Development with the due participation of all relevant stakeholders maintaining transparency as a main partner in the great task of creating a prosperous Sri Lanka”
Water is a fundamental human right, programs to implement community-based water projects for providing safe drinking water to rural people who find in difficult to obtain drinking water with proper Standard have been implemented throughout Sri Lanka for many decades. The number of community water projects implemented all over the island as per agreements entered into with the Government of Sri Lanka on full sponsorship and financial contribution of international organizations such as Asian Development Bank, World Bank, DANIDA and FINNIDA and vested in people was nearly 5000 by the year 2010.
However, nearly 500 of projects so commenced were facing the risk of becoming defunct by the 2010s due to various issues. The then government understood this fact well and prevented it by establishing the Department of National Community Water Supply for the purpose of ensuring the sustainability of community water projects.
The main purpose of this Department, which was established with effect from 19th September 2014, was to regulate the community water projects and ensure their sustainability.
Although this Department was established in the latter half of the year 2014, the annual provisions taking a value less than 100 million rupees, due to the slow pace in obtaining approval for recruitment scheme for recruiting officers necessary for the Department, appointing staffs, and establishing the Head Office and the District Offices, stood as a main constraint to the taking of its function forward.
By the year 2019 these challenges were overcome and the Department’ was able to go beyond mere regulating of the existing water projects and community-based organizations by commencing new water projects and its role was broadened so that a significant service and function can be provided to rural people.
The years 2021 and 2022 will be recorded in the history as a period in which the country’s economy faced huge challenges and crises, and it should be noted here that it is victory of ours that even in the aftermath of those serious challenges, we were able to give water connections to nearly ten thousand (9,806) families. In addition, implementing of rain water collection and sanitary programs, conducting awareness and training programs, preparing cleaning methods, providing necessary accessories and rehabilitation of water projects targeting 28,000 families who are members of water projects were all conducted successfully.
The year 2023 also saw the commencing of auditing of plan implementation making the water safety plans preparation and implementation for community-driven water projects more meaningful. At the same time, one programed to provide solar power and programs to recharge ground water were conducted for water projects during the year with a view to opening new pathways to the field of community water supply.
What do We do?
- Assisting in formulating and updating national policies pertaining to the rural water supply and sanitation sector
- Preparing constitutions and agreements for community-based organizations
- Managing construction and maintenance work carried out by community-based organizations, and providing technical assistance when necessary
- Coordinating with state and non-state organizations at various levels in order to make the role of community-based organizations easier
- Introducing and monitoring criteria for fairly and methodically formulating and maintaining water tariffs of community-based organizations
- Assisting in maintaining financial management of community-based organizations with financial discipline and proper order and regulating same
- Implementing a participatory monitoring mechanism for carrying out affairs of community-based organizations in an effective manner.
- Motivating and assisting community-based organizations to identify and implement strategies to ensure their long lasting existence and that of water projects managed by them; and providing financial and technical assistance necessary for reforms and improvements necessary for it.
- Guiding community-based organizations to always purify water supplied by community-based organizations and providing technical assistance necessary for it
- Establishing community-based organizations, divisional forums, district forums and the National Forum
- Identifying and implementing a practical method for continuous surveillance of water quality in the water supplied by water schemes belonging to community-based organizations
- Conserving and improving sources of water, and preparing water protection plan
- Providing training necessary for ensuring perpetual existence of community water projects and regulating the management affairs of the community-based organization
- Implementing rainwater management programs.
The Department, which commenced in the year 2014, is governed under a Director General and at present consists of the Head Office and 25 District Offices. The Head Office is operating under the following divisions:
The functions assigned to the Administration Division include managing human and physical resources and assisting in the financial control of the Department, all with the aim of providing efficient and effective service to the people and the community.
The Development and Planning Division conducts activities including identifying development needs at the district level, preparing and implementing the Strategic Development Plan, responding to public requests related to community water issues, preparing project proposals, and overseeing the implementation and supervision of all development programs under the Department.
This Division makes all payments relevant to the Department, prepares monthly and annual accounts and presents them to the Treasury, prepares final accounts, settles advances, give replies to audit queries, coordinates with the Committee on Public Accounts, and settles annual accounts as its main functions.
The Technical Division is responsible for approving and checking estimates and bills, organizing technical training programs, reviewing rate analysis and price escalation, recommending EOT, sending performance extension reminders, assisting engineers and TOs with technical work, and addressing audit queries related to technical matters.
The function of the Division is to carry out all purchases required for maintaining the activities of the Department, as well as for supporting community water projects, in accordance with the Procurement Guidelines and Financial Regulations.
This Division is tasked with monitoring all development programs implemented by the Department, along with the community-based organizations established in Sri Lanka. To support these efforts, the Division utilizes a management information system that provides accurate, up-to-date data essential for effective development and planning in the rural community water supply sector. Additionally, with the short code 1914, the Division facilitates quick problem-solving and ensures efficient services for community-based organizations. It also plays a key role in ensuring the successful and effective execution of community-based water projects.
25 District Offices
To bring the role of the Department of National Community Water Supply closer to the people, 25 District Offices have been established to cover all districts. The main functions of these District Offices include identifying and prioritizing community water needs within the district, establishing and strengthening community-based organizations, and regulating existing ones. They also prepare project reports and plans based on identified water needs, securing necessary funds by referring them to relevant parties. The District Offices identify and address issues within community-based organizations, offer capacity-building and technical assistance, and guide these organizations in maintaining water quality and developing water protection plans. Additionally, they motivate people to protect water catchment areas, collect and update relevant information, and keep the management information system up to date.
