National Policy on Protection and Conservation of Water Sources, their Catchments and Reservations in Sri Lanka 2014.

This National Policy on Protection and Conservation of Water Sources, their Catchments and Reservations in Sri Lanka is a nationwide sectoral policy document. The primary intention of this policy is to ensure the protection and conservation of all the water sources and their source areas in Sri Lanka through an optimum management. The main objective of this policy is to protect and conserve all the water sources their reservations the conservation areas and immediate catchment areas to ensure the existence of the water sources in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka being an agricultural country, the irrigation has had a unique contribution towards country`s agro economy and food security from history to this date. However, the soil is polluted due to the excess use of chemical fertilizer in agricultural land use and high use of agro chemicals and pesticides which resulted in water pollution.
Water and sanitation are basic human needs for sustaining life. Access to clean water supply is a prerequisite for poverty eradication. Main principles set up by the Policy include: The public has the right to receive and consume clean and quality water for the well being of the human being as well as the environment; Water users of all levels, planners and the decision making personnel and institutions shall contribute for the protection conservation and management of water sources with Participatory Planning Approach; Water sources and their source areas shall be protected and conserved without considering their location or the nature of the ownership. Conservation strategies and mechanisms shall be prepared based on the nature of the ownership.
The contribution of the catchments, source areas and reservations play a vital role in ensuring the sustainability of the water sources. The protection of the above mentioned sources is a fundamental requirement for the sustainability of both the surface water bodies and ground water aquifers. The main areas of the Policy are: 1. Identifying, determination of borders, demarcating boundaries, protection and conservation of water sources; 2.Empowering the institutions related to the conservation and protection of water sources. 3 Monitoring of activities and follow up action. 4 Awareness and participation. 5 Granting financial provision and facilities. Policies for the identification, demarcating of boundaries, conservation and protection of water sources and related areas. Main policies are proposed for the identification, demarcating of boundaries, conservation and protection of water sources and related areas, including: 1 Determine and demarcate the limits / boundaries of water sources and their catchments and legally declaration of such areas; 2 Conserve the lands in the areas demarcated as water sources and their catchments and related reservations by adopting suitable strategies taking in to account their present ownership and use; 3 Avoid inappropriate use of land in the areas related to water sources through the preparation of land use plans; 4 Rehabilitate the degraded lands in the areas related to water sources; 5 Identify amendments needed in existing laws and legislations and introduce new laws with regard to the protection of the areas related to water sources.
The Policy recognizes that damages are caused to the water sources as a result of global warming, other climatic changes and the natural disasters. Accordingly, when formulating future strategies for conservation of water resources, the attention should be drawn on the instances such as the increase of the salinity of the ground water in coastal areas due to rise of sea level and the contamination of drinking water in the coastal areas due to tsunami.