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Water projects driven by ADB nourish northern farmer lives and livelihoods
View(s):By Ishu Bandara
The northern community, which suffered a long period of decline during the war with severe damage to livelihoods and infrastructure, is now finding relief through improved access to purified drinking water and sufficient irrigation for crops following two projects implemented by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The ADB has played an important role in rebuilding Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. Moving from emergency aid to long-term development, ADB has launched two major projects—the Jaffna-Kilinochchi Water Supply Project (JKWSP) and the Dry Zone Urban Water Supply Project in Vavuniya. These projects have helped restore life to areas affected by the war, providing safe drinking water for thousands and supporting the region’s recovery.
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- The Per Aru reservoir and dam located in Vavuniya
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- The lift irrigation system in Thiruvaiyaru, Kilinochchi. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
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- Beneficiaries of the Vavuniya Water Project welcome ADB officials and media personnel
A media team recently visited the area, accompanied by several ADB officials. They learned that the Iranamadu Reservoir, an ancient tank long neglected during the civil conflict, has been revitalised with extensive support from the ADB as part of JKWSP, bringing new hope to the Northern Province, safeguarding vital water resources, and driving a transformation in local agriculture.
In 1983, part of the reservoir’s lower embankment collapsed, forcing the authorities to reduce Iranamadu’s water capacity to about 70% because of safety concerns. The damage badly affected the lives of thousands of farming families who relied on the reservoir to water more than 20,000 acres of paddy and other crops.
Recognising the urgent need for reconstruction following the end of the conflict in 2009, the ADB prioritised the reservoir’s restoration under the JKWSP. The irrigation component, implemented by the Provincial Irrigation Department, ran from 2010 to 2016. The cost of strengthening and augmenting the tank was US$16.34 million, with US$12.93 million contributed by the ADB.
Engineers said they undertook comprehensive reconstruction, strengthening the 2.75-kilometre-long dam embankment, rebuilding spillway structures, and strengthening sluice gates. This was to ensure the dam’s integrity and long-term serviceability.
The structural rehabilitation bolstered the reservoir capacity, raising the full supply level from 34 feet to 36 feet. The total reservoir capacity increased by 12.5%, expanding it from 106,500 acre feet to 119,890 acre feet.
The successful completion of the headworks in 2018 has resulted in increased water availability, which is shared with the Kilinochchi drinking water supply scheme at 7.32 million cubic metres a year as agreed.
The other project visited by the media team was the Vavuniya Water Supply Scheme, the largest such project in the Northern dry zone, which has successfully transformed access to safe drinking water for the town’s 80,000 residents. Implemented under the Dry Zone Urban Water Supply Project, the initiative was supported by the ADB and carried out by the Ministry of Urban Development, Housing and Construction, with the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) serving as the implementing agency.
The project, which began in 2010 following the end of the 30-year civil conflict in the region, played a key role in supporting government efforts to resettle internally displaced Sri Lankans. The Vavuniya scheme, with a capacity of 12,000 cubic metres per day, includes a surface water impounding reservoir, a water treatment plant, and a water distribution system.
An important milestone of the project was a new reservoir with a dam built across the Per Aru River, marking the first large-scale reservoir dedicated to drinking water supply by NWSDB in the country. The project, classified as Category A for environmental and resettlement impact, ensured that over 200 affected residents received compensation for land inundation. Additionally, a successful flora and fauna relocation programme was launched to protect endangered species in the affected area.
Since its completion in 2019, the Vavuniya Water Supply Scheme has provided over 14,000 service connections, delivering safe drinking water. As of May 2025, the system has continued to operate, contributing to improved health, sanitation, and quality of life for the people of Vavuniya.
The media team attended a meeting with women from the Thiruvankulam community. Participants shared their positive experiences from the drinking water project, noting improved daily sanitation practices and prevention of diseases, including kidney-related issues.
The project, which now includes a solar panel system, has significantly reduced water costs for farmers. The media team had the opportunity to visit the farmers. One farmer said, “Before the solar panels were installed, we paid around Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 per month for irrigation water. Now, with the solar-powered system, payments have dropped to just Rs 2,500 a month.”
Farmers were also asked about the benefits.
One farmer said, “It’s a very successful project. I started a new sugarcane cultivation after gaining access to these facilities. The local factory that purchases the sugarcane has just recently opened. I hope to earn about Rs 350,000 per harvest.
“Under the lift irrigation project, we receive water only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, just two days a week, so the quantity of water feels insufficient. It would be much better if water could be supplied for the whole day, instead of the current schedule from
8:00 a.m. to around 2:00 p.m.’’
The project, funded by ADB, stands as a significant example of post-conflict infrastructure development, demonstrating how sustainable water supply ideas can support resettlement, economic recovery, and environmental stewardship in Sri Lanka’s dry zone regions.
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