Groundwater-related issues and the importance of the establishment of a proper groundwater monitoring network for Sri Lanka

Abstract

Demand for groundwater has grown rapidly as a result of population increase and economic development of the country. A wide variety of users such as small-scale irrigators, households and housing development schemes, industries and industrial promotion zones, hotels, shrimp farms are now tapping groundwater in large quantities. The unlimited groundwater extraction cause depletion of the regional groundwater table, drying out surrounding wells located in the shallow aquifers. The groundwater pollution due to application of excess fertilizer, pesticides and other agrochemicals in agricultural areas and emission of wastes from the industriesleads to contaminate groundwater sources considerably. ها Recently, the environmental issues related to groundwater depletion and groundwater pollution is considerably increased in many parts of the country. In areas like Kalpitiya, Jaffna Peninsula, CKD prevailing areas in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Monaragala, Badulla and Hambantota districts as well as majority of the community water supply schemes, areas where groundwater based water bottling schemes established and in many other coastal areas these groundwater related issues are reported. Though the environmental issues related to groundwater is cropping up, so far no proper action has been taken to manage the situation. The establishment of agroundwater monitoring network covering the whole country is very much essential at this stage. The paper will discuss the current status of groundwater in Sri Lanka, environmental issues reported and the way of managing this valuable resource of the country.