News
Rainwater harvesting can revolutionises access to clean water in Sri Lanka – LRWHF
If a family with four members switch to rainwater harvesting each family members will have access to about 130 litres of water a day, and the water will be free following the initial investment to establish a rainwater harvesting system,
Tanuja Ariyananda of the Lanka Rain Water Harvesting Forum (LRWHF) said during a recent seminar organised by the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL).About 40 percent of Sri Lankans still depend on wells, springs and other natural sources to meet the daily water requirement, she said.Given climate change these individuals may face problems accessing quality water in the future, she said.
“There has been a great interest in this system for the past 30 years. Now around the world there are about 160 million people who benefit from this system. They use this for domestic consumption,” she said.
Ariyananda said rainwater harvesting is important to Sri Lanka because water stress is growing due to human activity, urban development, pollution, etc. Droughts and floods have both become more frequent and both affect access to clean water, she said.
“Sri Lankans in many parts of the country can benefit from rainwater harvesting. This can benefit people in arid and semi-arid areas as well as those living in high elevation. It will also help people who use ground water of poor quality. We must not forget that some researchers link arsenic and fluoride in ground water to CKDu,” she said.
Most Sri Lankans are now crippled with high cost of living and rainwater harvesting saves money by reducing the water bill by up to 60 percent. It can also save the electricity bill by reducing the need to operate water motors, etc., she said.
Ariyananda said 60 percent of the rain that falls in the wet zone of the country is wasted as run off. The number is 40 percent in the dry zone, she said.She added that Sri Lanka has about 50,000 rainwater harvesting systems installed.
Ariyananda said a resident of Colombo with a roofing area of 100 square metres can collect about 192,000 litres of rainwater in a year. The number if 147,200 litres of rainwater for Kandy, 102,400 litres of rainwater in Anuradhapura, 83,900 litres of rainwater in Hambantota, 98,400 litres of rainwater in Jaffna and 300,000 litres of rainwater in Ratnapura, she said.
“If we take the case of Colombo and if we assume there are four people in the family, we can collect about 130 litres of water per person per day. This probably exceeds the daily requirement of a person,” she said.
Ariyananda said there are about 340 schools in Colombo and that the average roof area of a school is 1,000 square metres. The annual rainwater that can be collected by the Colombo schools is 548,800 cubic metres. If we calculate the value of water at 60 rupees a cubic meter, it comes to 32,928,000 rupees,” he said.
She added that some Sri Lankans are concerned about the quality of rainwater. A WHO study in 2017 found that the quality of harvested rainwater is second only to piped water. The quality of harvested rainwater is better than water from bore holes, protected springs and dug wells, according to the WHO research.
Ariyananda said a private higher education institution in Malambe recently started harvesting rainwater from a roof area of 5,525 square meters and that the collected water was adequate to meet 75 percent of the total water demand of the university.
“Imagine the savings this establishment made,” she said.
She said that there is a high initial cost to set up a rainwater harvesting system. The initial cost may be daunting, especially if someone is from a poor community.
“However, the state spends about 1.5 million rupees to give a water connection. But we can build a rainwater harvesting system for Rs 200,000 rupees. Then the household gets free water afterwards. The state can save money by giving rainwater harvesting systems to people,” she said.
The 10th Navy Open Shooting Championship, organised by the Sri Lanka Navy, concluded successfully following events held from 1 to 12 July 2026 at the Small Bore Firing Complex,
Welisara.
The awards ceremony took place on 18 July at the Commander Parakrama Samaraweera Memorial Indoor Sports Complex at SLNS Gemunu, under the patronage of the Commander of
the Navy.
More than 900 shooters representing the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and a number of shooting clubs from across the island competed in this year’s championship. Notably, over 800 of the participants were school athletes, highlighting the growing interest and participation of young athletes in the sport.
The championship provided a valuable platform for members of the Tri-Forces, Police, shooting clubs and school competitors to compete alongside one another, exchange experience and further develop their technical skills in shooting. It also reaffirmed the championship’s role in nurturing young talent and supporting the development of future national and international-level shooters.
Competing in a highly competitive field, marksmen representing the Sri Lanka Navy delivered an impressive performance, securing a number of medals and bringing distinction to the Navy through their achievements.
The event also made a significant contribution to the promotion of shooting sport in Sri Lanka by identifying emerging talent and strengthening cooperation, sportsmanship and healthy
competition among participants representing a wide range of institutions and organisations.
He was examining security officer’s new weapon while waiting for his wife to join him on a morning walk
Friday’s shock death of former IGP Chandana Wickramaratne due to gunshot injuries on his chest was possibly due to an accidental discharge of his personal security officer’s (PSO’s) pistol. Wickramaratne, who was kitted for his walk and waiting on the verandah for his wife to join him, was examining the PSO’s new weapon, knowledgeable sources said.
These sources said the wife who was putting on her shoes inside the house heard a bang and found Wickramaratne fallen on the verandah.
The retired IGP had noticed the security officer carrying a new weapon and had asked to examine it. Saying he carried a similar weapon years ago, he found no magazine and said, “are you planning to accompany me on my walk with a pistol without a magazine?”
The PSO had then handed the loaded magazine and gone into the house to fetch a requested bottle of water when the weapon had gone off.
The sources said that Wickramaratne was in no way depressed and had attended an Ananda College old boy’s event a few days ago, had dinner with friends and chatted with them. He had an appointment to meet a friend on Saturday.
Friends and family saw no reason for Wickramaratne to take his own life and there was no evidence whatever of an external agent shooting him. The former IGP was pronounced dead at the Colombo East Teaching Hospital to which he was rushed.
Police said investigations were proceeding and an autopsy report was awaited.
Wickramaratne was appointed the 35th Inspector General on November 25, 2020 and retired three years later in 2023. He had also set a record as the longest serving acting IGP since his naming to that position in May 2019 after his predecessor Pujith Jayasundara was sent on compulsory leave.
He joined as a trainee Assistant Superintendent in June 1986 after graduating from the Colombo University. He was absorbed to the National Intelligence Bureau where he worked till 1995. Thereafter he reverted to the uniform service and had been posted across the country, including the northern and eastern areas at the height of the war.
Former Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake appeared before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate allegations of corruption and fraud at the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) on Friday (17).
Speaking to the media after appearing before the commission, Senanayake said she had been summoned to provide information regarding a food voucher programme implemented during her tenure as Mayor amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis.
She said the programme, carried out through state-owned Lanka Sathosa, was introduced to provide assistance to low-income and vulnerable families affected by the economic hardships during the period.
“We gave food vouchers from Sathosa to the poor during the pandemic and economic crisis.
They wanted answers to some questions they had regarding the programme,” Senanayake said.The Presidential Commission is currently investigating allegations relating to financial irregularities, corruption and other misconduct within the Colombo Municipal Council.
10th Navy Open Shooting Championship concludes
Akif Javeed and Sam Harper star in Galle Gallants five wicket win
Dambull Sixers down Kandy Royals by 18 runs
World Cup final tickets near $2.3m mark on FIFA’s resale platform
Saka hat-trick helps England down France to win World Cup 2026 Bronze Final
US military says two service members killed in Iranian strike in Jordan
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Business15 hours ago‘Giving up was never an option’: The fisherman who fought back after losing millions in SL
-
Latest News1 day agoDavis cup Asia/Oceania Group IV 2026 to be held in Colombo from 20th to 25th July
-
Features15 hours agoTwo memorable excerpts from a former SLAF commander’s memoir
-
Features15 hours agoErdoğan’s New Republic
-
Life style15 hours agoTaste of the Swiss Alps comes to Colombo
-
Features5 days agoDirty Money
-
News2 days agoDengue outbreak gallops ahead: Infections surpasses 73,455, leaving 50 dead
-
News2 days agoEvidence recorded in money laundering case against Yoshitha Rajapaksa