Assessment of Technical Sustainability as a Crucial Determinant of Long-Term Sustainability in Community-Based Water Supply Schemes in the North Central Province in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Community-Based Water Supply Schemes (CBWSS) remain central to ensuring safe and reliable water access in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province (NCP), where centralized infrastructure is sparse and public health challenges, particularly Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu), persist. This study undertakes a critical, multi-dimensional sustainability assessment of 25 CBWSS in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts using 22 indicators spanning environmental, social, economic, and technical domains. A mixed-methods approach incorporating structured questionnaires, Likert-scale scoring, focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs), and field inspections was employed. Results reveal that while social participation and environmental awareness remain moderately strong, technical sustainability emerges as the most decisive factor influencing long-term system viability (r = 0.78, p < 0.01). Deficiencies in preventive maintenance, operator training, water quality surveillance, and spare-part availability significantly undermine scheme performance, leading to frequent breakdowns and, in some cases, scheme collapse or transfer to external authorities. Case study evidence further validates the central role of technical management in sustaining functionality. The study argues that strengthening operator capacity, embedding preventive maintenance culture, institutionalizing sustainability monitoring tools, and integrating technical sustainability into national policy frameworks are crucial to ensuring resilient CBWSS. Beyond local relevance, the findings contribute to global discourse on rural water governance by foregrounding technical sustainability as a cornerstone of safe and equitable water provision.