Sri Lanka: Case Study of Udahena Village, Water Supply and Sanitation Project

Challenge

Udahena is a remote rural village located in Rideegama Pradeshiya Sabha area in Kurunegala District. Lack of proper sanitation facilities for 106, out of 176 households in the village was a serious health hazard to the entire village and all households were at risk due to a lack of safe drinking water. This situation has aggravated the poverty in the village with more than 90 percent of the population classified as poor.

CWSSP Intervention

The community based water supply and sanitation (WSS) project in Udahena commenced in 2002.  The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Division of the Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply is implementing the World Bank assisted second Second Community Water Supply and Sanitation Project (2nd CWSSP) in collaboration with the North Western Provincial Council (NWPC) and the Rideegama Pradeshiya Sabha (PS).

The Approach

• Wasone Foundation a local NGO was selected as the  Partner Organization to undertake the community mobilization and to facilitate the implementation of the project.
• The community organized themselves in to a Community Based Organization (CBO) to plan, construct and manage the WSS project.
• NWPC and Rideegama PS provided guidance and support.

The Outcome

• Gravity fed, piped water supply scheme was constructed to cover entire village
• The CBO managed all construction activities
• The community contributed free labor valued at Rs. 704,000 for water supply scheme construction. This is 27% of the total construction cost of Rs. 2,589,477. The project provided Rs. 1,635,477 while NWPC and Ridigama PS contributed Rs. 125,000 each for water supply project construction
• Total Assistance to construct 53 latrines@ Rs. 3000 per latrine  Rs. 159,000.
• CBO started a sanitation revolving fund utilizing this fund and provided loans to needy households to construct latrines. The CBO has successfully revolved the fund to address the entire latrine need (106 latrines) of the village.

The CBO is responsible for:

• Water tariff collection, operation and maintenance of water supply scheme
• Welfare programs to support members (death donation society)
• Home gardening in 41 homesteads
• Program to promote home based income generating activities
• Rural credit program

Lesson Learnt

Rural communities have the potential and capacity to undertake even heavy responsibilities if they are given adequate opportunities and knowledge.