World Water Day 2021 - “Valuing Water- Sri Lankan Context”

By Eng. (Ms) R.D.T. Kaushalya, Secretary, Water Forum

The Water Forum of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka commemorated the World Water Day (WWD) 2021 as an event devoted to Young Engineers under the theme “Valuing Water- Sri Lankan Context”. World Water Day celebration was held on 24th March 2021 from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm as a hybrid event via the zoom platform and a small physical gathering at the IESL Secretariat. The event was organized by the Young Engineers’ Water Forum subcommittee. The chief guest for the event was Eng. K. P. I. U. Dharmapala, President of IESL. This prestigious event is excelled by a keynote speech and two technical sessions devoted to young engineers followed by question and answer sessions and open discussions. A bulletin was published at the WWD event including the synopsis of the keynote speech and extended abstracts of the eight technical papers.

Compeer Eng. (Ms) Thiruni Liyanage

Speech by Eng. K P I U Dharmapala, President IESL

Mr. Lalith Dassenaike, International Consultant and Regional Council Member of the GWP South Asia Regional Council, delivered the keynote speech on the expedient topic “valuing water”. The highlights of the keynote speech are as follows.

• Valuing water means different things to different people.  Many have been striving to arrive at a global consensus and common language to better approaches to valuing water. 

• Water, although being an extremely valuable resource, still it is very difficult to value and put a realistic price on it.  Even if this task is accomplished, still arriving at a consensus in its methodology and final price is far from a reality.

• The multisector dependence and use of the resource spanned across economies, societies, cultures and environments only further complicates the issue.  In its most conventional form, the valuing should result in an ideal price for the resource. 

• Climate change together with man made environmentally unfriendly interventions further undermines striking the much-needed balance between development and conservation.

• Agenda 21 and the Dublin Principles in 1992 defined the concept of water as an “Economic and Social Good”. “Opportunity Costs” of water and “Environmental Externalities” are two key concepts evolved since then in the literature. 

• The stress on the scarce resource has made it imperative that the valuation exercise into the future needs to be strictly based within the context of “Sustainable Development” principles.  The price of the resource will be meaningless for trade-off purposes if there is no resource available or the resource is depleting or is not sustainably managed.

• Negative impacts of water scarcity, pollution and flooding underscore the need to change the way we value water.  A paradigm shift is called for and out of the box thinking. 

• In such a scenario a prerequisite to valuation should be to focus on the SDG Goal no. 6 which is “Ensure access to water and sanitation for all”. 

Keynote Speaker Mr. Mr. Lalith Dassenaike, International Consultant and Regional Council Member of the GWP South Asia Regional Council

The Technical Session 1 was themed as “Water Supply & Hydropower” and four technical paper presentations were conducted by the young engineers.

• Determination of Actual Surface Loading Rate and Hydraulic Retention Time for Sedimentation Process in Water Treatment , by Eng. Ms. Hiruni Pitagampola

• Valuing Water by Optimizing the Intermediate Re-Chlorination of a Drinking Water Distribution Network, by Eng. N.B.I.M.N Bandara

• Challenges in increasing piped water coverage by Rural Water Supply Schemes in achieving SDGS, By Eng. Ms W.B.D.Tharika Fernando

• Sustainable Development of Hydropower - Addressing the White Water Rafting Issue, By Eng. Rangana Dayawansha

The Technical Session 2 was themed as “Irrigation & Basin Modelling” and four technical paper presentations were conducted by the young engineers.

• Soil Acidification and Paddy Cultivation in Kiralakele Wetland after the Nilwala Flood Protection Scheme in Matara District, By Eng. W.L.N. Buddhika

• Sorjan farming in Meepawala Farmer Oraganization area in Holuwagoda Scheme of Gin Ganga Basin, By Eng. Y.A.C.R. Kumara

• Accuracy of generated bathymetry in a flat meandering river basin; a quantitative analysis, By Eng. Prakalathan Jatheesh

• A Statistical Approach in GCM Selection and Frequency Analysis of Past and Future Rainfall in the Kalu Ganga Catchment of Sri Lanka, By Eng. Mananjaya Balasooriya

Determination of Actual Surface Loading Rate and Hydraulic Retention Time for Sedimentation Process in Water Treatment , by Eng. Ms. Hiruni Pitagampola

A comprehensive discussion session was followed by the both technical sessions. The event was a great success with more than 100 participants in attendance from several countries. The keynote speech and abstracts of two technical sessions will be published as a bulletin in the Water Forum website and Facebook page.

Vote of thanks by Eng. (Ms) R.D.T. Kaushalya

Young Engineers’ Water Forum Committee Members

 

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