Sri Lanka has been ranked in the second-lowest tier of the water security metric as measured by the Asian Development Bank in its Asian water development outlook 2020.
Sri Lanka also underperforms when the metric controls for gross national income per capita. New Zealand is the most secure country in the report with Japan, Australia, and South Korea close behind.
The Asian Development Bank is currently funding a Water and Wastewater Management Improvement Investment Program in the Greater Colombo region.
The projects innovative features include trenchless technology, district metered areas, and a wastewater treatment plant constructed through a Design-Build-Operate contract.
The report notes: ‘The urban growth rate is a particularly important influence on urban water risk because growing populations need more infrastructures and servicing.’ Sri Lanka outperforms on urban water security controlling for Gross National Income.
India has invested heavily in its water security. The Indians have amongst others; Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) (elimination of open defecation and improvement of solid waste management); Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) (provision of functional tap connection to every rural household); Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT); Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY); Smart Cities, National Hydrology Project (NHP); Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP); National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG); Namami Gange Program; National River Conservation Plan (NRCP); Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABJY); MNREGS; and Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration programs (following the Hyogo Framework).
With all this development in water, India’s improvement in sanitation during 2017–2019 was three times greater than the next best country and there was a considerable increase in the welfare of the population.
Over 80% of rural Indians that needed to openly defecate in 2014 have access to basic sanitation in 2019.
The ADB report notes the difficulty of monetizing the benefits that investment in water would bring. This is a major constraint on policy and there is underinvestment in the sector. The Asian region would benefit from collaboration.
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