Thebuwatte a village surrounded by water springs but still thirsting

By Kelum Bandara   

Every human being seeks access to safe, affordable, and accessible water and sanitation. In fact, it is a fundamental human right. In Sri Lanka, people in most areas enjoy access to safe drinking water. In addition to pipe-borne water, ground wells are widely used for drinking, sanitation, and agricultural purposes.   

What is ironic, however, is that some communities still suffer without easy access to safe and affordable drinking water despite the abundance of natural sources. The village of Thebuwatte in the Dunakadeniya Grama Sevaka Division of the Yatiyantota Divisional Secretariat is one such area. Nestled among lush mountains with salubrious weather, it is a popular tourist destination, particularly for locals seeking a weekend escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The terrain is blessed with natural watercourses where picnickers bathe, relax, and enjoy the serene surroundings.   

Despite being surrounded by natural springs, around 120 families out of 365 still struggle without a proper scheme to obtain water for their daily use. Even more distressing is the fact that a project initiated way back in 2000 to utilise one of these springs never saw the light of day. For a quarter of a century, these hapless villagers have been fighting a losing battle for access to drinking water—ironically, not from afar, but from a pristine spring situated within their own hilly surroundings.   

In 2024, a small group of residents attempted to lay pipes on their own to secure water access. Still, a fully-fledged project with adequate government or private investment is required to ensure a sustainable water supply for the entire community.   

In 2001, the Samurdhi Corps, the village community association, and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board’s District Manager for Kegalle reached an arrangement to provide water using funds from the Asian Development Bank. After confirming the project, however, all parties failed to follow through with their responsibilities. The facility built at the site is now, more or less, dilapidated.   

It is now understood that some funds from donors can be raised if the National Water Supply and Drainage Board intervenes. The villagers have formed a committee to push for the long-delayed project, yet they remain handicapped by a lack of financial resources. It is estimated that around Rs. 5 million is required to complete the initiative.   

This story is a contradiction in Sri Lanka’s development: a community blessed with abundant natural water sources continues to suffer simply because a long-delayed project remains unfinished. For 120 families, access to clean water is not a luxury but a long-denied right. Unless authorities or private stakeholders step in with the modest investment needed, this quarter-century struggle will persist—an avoidable hardship in a village where clean, life-sustaining water flows freely, just out of reach.