Community based small town water supplies case study from Sri Lanka

The World Bank-funded Community Water Supply and Sanitation Project (CWSSP), implemented from 1992 to 1999, tested, for the first time in Sri Lanka, a community-based participatory development approach to implement small town water supply projects. Kirinda / Puhulwella is a good example of a community managed, self sustained small town scheme. It consists of about 1,000 service connections, all of which are metered. The scheme provides a 24 hour service to consumers. Operational data indicate the Community Based Organisation (CBO) that manages the scheme is doing so satisfactorily, especially when compared with similar schemes operated by the country’s main water utility agency. This case study suggests that with proper guidance and technical assistance, small town water schemes can be operated successfully by CBOs.