The Irrigation Department has warned of significant water shortages across multiple districts as reservoir capacity falls to just 40% amid dry weather conditions and anticipated El Niño effects.
The Irrigation Department has launched a public appeal for water conservation as Sri Lanka grapples with dry weather conditions affecting several regions. At a media briefing in Colombo on Friday, Director of Hydrology and Disaster Management L.S. Sooriyabandara disclosed that only approximately 40% of the total capacity across the country's 73 major reservoirs currently remains available, with numerous districts already experiencing considerable water shortages.
Official forecasts point to further complications ahead. Sooriyabandara warned that rising temperatures linked to expected El Niño conditions, combined with the approach of August, could accelerate evaporation rates and deplete water reserves more rapidly. The department is urging citizens to adopt water-saving practices until rainfall patterns normalise.
Director of the Water Management Secretariat Engineer Nilantha Dhanapala clarified that El Niño does not necessarily mean an absence of rain, but rather a shift in rainfall distribution patterns. However, he emphasised that increased temperatures will intensify water loss through evaporation, making strategic water management critical. Dhanapala also advised farmers to begin cultivating for the Maha season between October 1 and 15, noting that coordinated cultivation across irrigation systems and agricultural zones would help conserve water during the dry period.
Both officials have called on the public to minimise waste of both water and electricity. The department has indicated that management plans for the anticipated El Niño conditions have already been developed to help mitigate the expected weather impacts across the country.
