Lanka Rainwater Harvesting Forum held its 11th annual symposium last Friday, September 5, 2014. The symposium brought together experts in the field of water conservation and provided a platform to present research findings and discuss best practices and key challenges related to rainwater harvesting in Sri Lanka and other countries. U.S. Ambassador Michele J. Sison and Dinesh Gunawardena, Sri Lanka Minister for Water Supply & Drainage, attended and spoke in support of the event.

“Rainwater harvesting is not new to Sri Lanka,” said Ambassador Sison.“Rising and falling in popularity over the centuries, the technology has made a comeback over the past decades thanks to organizations like Lanka Rainwater Harvesting Forum.”

The United States, through its development agency USAID, has helped construct forty-five, 30,000-liter rainwater harvesting tanks in schools and hospitals, as well as 750 household rainwater harvesting systems in the Vavuniya and Mannar districts. USAID-supported initiatives are also raising public awareness on the benefits of rainwater harvesting as a feasible, financially viable alternative to meeting the critical potable water needs of local communities throughout drought-prone areas of Sri Lanka, including Hambantota, Ampara, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura, Pollonaruwa, Vavuniya and Mannar.