Groundwater pollution ticking time bomb in Jaffna and elsewhere

By Ifham Nizam

A research conducted in Jaffna last year has revealed that the rapid salinisation and pollution of groundwater in the northern peninsula and very likely elsewhere in Sri Lanka is leading to the adaptation of freshwater malaria and arboviral mosquito vectors to brackish water and polluted water with physiological changes that reduce the effectiveness of present vector control methods.

Snr. Prof. Pathmalal M. Manage, Professor of Zoology Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies Co-Chair, Research Council Director, Center for Water Quality and Algae Research Ecotoxicologist Water Quality Specialist, Environmental Scientist of the Sri Jayewardenepura University, speaking on State of Sri Lanka’s Environment 2020, a brainchild of Centre for Environmental Justice, also said Nitrate contamination in drinking water was a major crisis in Jaffna.

He said that due to harmful biological impacts of nitrate concentrated water caused methemoglobinemia (bluebaby syndrome), tumors and gastrointestinal cancers).

A recent investigation in the Chunnakam area revealed nitrate- N level of 45 ppm. Hence, nitrate contamination of groundwater in the Jaffna is found to be the most challenging issue in the water management system.

“Without any consideration on nitrate reduction from groundwater in the peninsula, nitrate pollution will affect large areas and bring about potable water scarcity in Jaffna. The long-term exposure of the kidney via drinking water with elevated levels of ions will add to the occurrence of kidney failure. In conclusion, Chemical Water pollution, domestic water pollution, fecal contamination, water scarcity, over extraction of ground water, remains unresolved throughout the year 2020.”

Meanwhile Senior Environmental Lawyer Jagath Gunawardena termed the 2020 a bad year for forests of the country.

He said the closure of the country during the first half of the year saw an upsurge in illegal forest clearings and massive forest destruction.

CEJ, Executive Director Hemantha Withanage said that it

was a report produced to give an assessment of the positive and negative environmental developments of a country in a given year.

He said a country should have a baseline to get a clear picture of the status. Sri Lanka lacks much of the environmental data since there is a lack of knowledge management and also a loss of historical data.

CEJ prepared this status report to see whether Sri Lanka has achieved negative or positive developments in various environmental sectors during the year 2020, so that interested readers can have an idea about its annual environmental status.