Integrating Wastewater, Agriculture and Sanitation

Theme: Wastewater Management for Productive Use

Integrating Wastewater, Agriculture and Sanitation

Palitha Jayaweera1, Alexandra Clemett2 and Ranmini Udukumbure1

1COSI Foundation for technical cooperation, 185/3, Madawala Road, Katugastota, Sri Lanka

2International Water Management Institute (IWMI), 127 Sunil Mawatha, Pelawatte, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka

Author details:

Palitha Jayaweera is a water and sanitation specialist working in the WESH sector for the last 20 years. He was involved in training research assessment and evaluation locally as well as internationally. Further he holds a post graduate degree in Technology in Development from WEDC and presently manages COSI, a Sri Lankan NGO in which he is the founding member. Mrs. Alexandra Clemett is a researcher with the International Water Management Institute and Project Leader of the WAPSA-Asia project. Ms.Ranmini Udukumbure is a programme officer for WASPA Kurunegala and working for COSI.

Key words – learning alliance, wastewater irrigation, nutrients, water quality, participatory planning

Abstract

As demand for food increases and water resources are stretched, there is a need to look for more sustainable solutions. The use of wastewater for irrigation is one such option that is being used globally but that is often poorly managed. Driven by rapid urbanization, increasing demand for freshwater and growing wastewater volumes, it is widely used as a low-cost alternative to conventional irrigation water. Despite the associated health and environmental risks, wastewater agriculture supports livelihoods and generates considerable value in urban and peri-urban agriculture.

The Wastewater Agriculture and Sanitation for Poverty Alleviation (WASPA) project was initiated in Kurunegala where wastewater is used in agriculture in order to address on a pilot basis the negative impacts of its use, and to enhance the benefits. It rapidly became apparent that certain key aspects needed to be addressed such as solid waste, commercial waste and toilet waste, all of which illegally enter the drains. In order to address these issues the project was designed to work in collaboration with local government officials, community members, NGOs, researchers and the private sector, in a multi-stakeholder platform known as a “Learning Alliance” and to jointly develop and implement a participatory action plan.

The impacts of the development of the Learning Alliance and the implementation of activity plans are not yet evident; however there are several important outputs and outcomes. For example: the interest and involvement of certain stakeholders has been higher than anticipated; coalitions have formed between unlikely stakeholders which is resulting in better collaboration and more effective outputs; and providing information to stakeholders puts them in a much better position to make choices and to communicate with one another on a level. These findings are likely to be of relevance in other cities where wastewater is being used for agriculture or where stakeholder alliances are being developed.