Your search found 17 records
1 Athuraliya, T. N. C.; Abeysekera, D. T. D. J.; Amerasinghe, Priyanie H.; Kumarasiri, P. V. R.; Dissanayake, V. 2009. Prevalence of chronic kidney disease in two tertiary care hospitals: high proportion of cases with uncertain aetiology. Research letters. Ceylon Medical Journal, 54(1):23-25.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H042628)
(0.16 MB)
2 Athuraliya, N. T. C.; Abeysekera, T. D. J.; Amerasinghe, Priyanie.; Kumarasiri, R.; Bandara, P.; Karunaratne , U.; Milton, A. H.; Jones, A. L. 2011. Uncertain etiologies of proteinuric-chronic kidney disease in rural Sri Lanka. Kidney International, 80(11):1212-1221. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/ki.2011.258]
Public health ; Kidney diseases ; Rural areas ; Proteinuria ; Aetiology ; Risks ; Models ; Surveys ; Wastewater ; Contamination ; Water pollution / Sri Lanka / North Central Province / Central Province / Southern Province / Medawachchiya / Yatinuwara / Hambantota
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044372)
(0.44 MB)
The global prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) of uncertain etiology may be underreported. Communitylevel epidemiological studies are few due to the lack of national registries and poor focus on the reporting of noncommunicable diseases. Here we describe the prevalence of proteinuric-CKD and disease characteristics of three rural populations in the North Central, Central, and Southern Provinces of Sri Lanka. Patients were selected using the random cluster sampling method and those older than 19 years of age were screened for persistent dipstick proteinuria. The prevalence of proteinuric-CKD in the Medawachchiya region (North Central) was 130 of 2600 patients, 68 of 709 patients in the Yatinuwara region (Central), and 66 of 2844 patients in the Hambantota region (Southern). The mean ages of these patients with CKD ranged from 44 to 52 years. Diabetes and long-standing hypertension were the main risk factors of CKD in the Yatinuwara and Hambantota regions. Age, exceeding 60 years, and farming were strongly associated with proteinuric-CKD in the Medawachchiya region; however, major risk factors were uncertain in 87% of these patients. Of these patients, 26 underwent renal biopsy; histology indicated tubulointerstitial disease. Thus, proteinuric-CKD of uncertain etiology is prevalent in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. In contrast, known risk factors were associated with CKD in the Central and Southern Provinces.
3 International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 2012. Changing to biofuel crops makes productive use of contaminated water. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 2p. (IWMI Success Stories 013) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2012.002]
Crops ; Rice ; Biofuels ; Contamination ; Water use ; Water productivity ; Kidney diseases / Thailand
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044679)
(271.50KB)
4 Sri Lanka Water Partnership (Lanka Jalani); International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Unilever-Pureit. 2013. Proceedings of the First Young Water Professionals Symposium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 22-23 November 2012. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Water Partnership (Lanka Jalani); Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Colombo, Sri Lanka: Unilever-Pureit. 228p.
Water management ; Water resources ; Drinking water ; Tank irrigation ; Water supply ; Groundwater resources ; Water quality ; Water pollution ; Water rights ; Water footprint ; Milk production ; Drought ; Flooding ; Mapping ; River basins ; Poverty ; Gender ; Women ; Sanitation ; Health hazards ; Kidney diseases ; Reservoirs ; Ecosystems ; Wetlands ; Climate change ; Environmental degradation ; Agricultural production ; Rain / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G744 SRI Record No: H046156)
http://lankajalani.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Proceedings-YWPS.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H046156.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H046156.pdf
(5.26 MB) (5.26 MB)
5 Sri Lanka Water Partnership (Lanka Jalani); International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Unilever-Pureit. 2013. Proceedings of the First Young Water Professionals Symposium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 22-23 November 2012. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Water Partnership (Lanka Jalani); Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Colombo, Sri Lanka: Unilever-Pureit. 228p.
Water management ; Water resources ; Drinking water ; Tank irrigation ; Water supply ; Groundwater resources ; Water quality ; Water pollution ; Water rights ; Water footprint ; Milk production ; Drought ; Flooding ; Mapping ; River basins ; Poverty ; Gender ; Women ; Sanitation ; Health hazards ; Kidney diseases ; Reservoirs ; Ecosystems ; Wetlands ; Climate change ; Environmental degradation ; Agricultural production ; Rain / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G744 SRI c2 Record No: H046157)
http://lankajalani.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Proceedings-YWPS.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H046157.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H046157.pdf
(5.26 MB) (5.26 MB)
6 Noble, Andrew; Amerasinghe, Priyanie; Manthrithilake, Herath; Arasalingam, Sutharsiny. 2014. Review of literature on chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 41p. (IWMI Working Paper 158) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2014.206]
Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Aetiology ; Water quality ; Drinking water ; Groundwater ; Contamination ; Arsenic ; Toxicity ; Cadmium ; Phosphates ; Fluorides ; Aluminium ; Agrochemicals ; Health hazards ; Food chains ; Farmers ; Wells ; Literature ; Research / Sri Lanka / Medawachchiya / Anuradhapura
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H046435)
(679.55 KB)
This manuscript undertakes a review of current published information (peer-reviewed and grey literature) on Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka. It attempts to provide an overview of the possible environmentally-induced causal factors that have been implicated in the development of the disease, and identifies the gaps in research and recommends potential areas for future research. The review specifically captures the potential role that agriculture and water resources may play as causal factors in the development of the disease, and calls for a systematic approach and stresses the need for an integrated multi-disciplinary research effort to address the problem.
7 De Silva, P. C. J.; Senanayake, M. S.; Samarakoon, S. M. A. 2015. Socio economic impact of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HARTI). 45p. (HARTI Research Report 185)
Socioeconomic environment ; Economic impact ; Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Aetiology ; Households ; Income ; Agricultural production ; Villages ; Living standards ; Drinking water ; Water quality / Sri Lanka / Anuradhapura / Polonnaruwa / Trincomalee / Moneragala / Medirigiriya / Madawachchiya / Padavi Sripura / Buttala / Thanamalwila
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 616.61 G744 SIL Record No: H047517)
8 Rango, T.; Jeuland, M.; Manthrithilake, Herath; McCornick, Peter. 2015. Nephrotoxic contaminants in drinking water and urine, and chronic kidney disease in rural Sri Lanka. Science of the Total Environment, 518-519:574-585. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.02.097]
Drinking water ; Nephrotoxicity ; Contamination ; Urine ; Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Collective farming ; Communities ; Public health ; Health hazards ; Water quality ; Elements ; Arsenic compounds ; Sampling ; Analytical methods / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048177)
Chronic kidney disease of unknown (“u”) cause (CKDu) is a growing public health concern in Sri Lanka. Prior research has hypothesized a link with drinking water quality, but rigorous studies are lacking. This study assesses the relationship between nephrotoxic elements (namely arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and uranium (U)) in drinking water, and urine samples collected from individuals with and/or without CKDu in endemic areas, and from individuals without CKDu in nonendemic areas. All water samples – from a variety of source types (i.e. shallow and deep wells, springs, piped and surface water) – contained extremely low concentrations of nephrotoxic elements, and all were well below drinking water guideline values. Concentrations in individual urine samples were higher than, and uncorrelated with, those measured in drinking water, suggesting potential exposure from other sources. Mean urinary concentrations of these elements for individuals with clinically diagnosed CKDu were consistently lower than individuals without CKDu both in endemic and nonendemic areas. This likely stems from the inability of the kidney to excrete these toxic elements via urine in CKDu patients. Urinary concentrations of individuals were also found to be within the range of reference values measured in urine of healthy unexposed individuals from international biomonitoring studies, though these reference levels may not be safe for the Sri Lankan population. The results suggest that CKDu cannot be clearly linked with the presence of these contaminants in drinking water. There remains a need to investigate potential interactions of low doses of these elements (particularly Cd and As) with other risk factors that appear linked to CKDu, prior to developing public health strategies to address this illness.
9 Samad, Madar; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Royo-Olid, J.; Arulingam, Indika. 2017. The political and institutional context of the water sector in Sri Lanka: an overview. Luxembourg, Europe: European Union. 92p.
Water resources ; Political aspects ; Corporate culture ; Macroeconomics ; Local government ; Economic aspects ; Water use ; Water productivity ; Water supply ; Water quality ; Water power ; Water policy ; Water budget ; Food production ; Sanitation ; Chronic course ; Kidney diseases ; Aetiology ; Environmental management ; Legal aspects ; Financial institutions ; Public investment ; State intervention ; Public administration ; Nongovernmental organizations ; Government departments ; European Union / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H048221)
(2.37 MB)
10 Kafle, Kashi; Balasubramanya, Soumya; Horbulyk, Ted. 2019. Prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka: a profile of affected districts reliant on groundwater. Science of the Total Environment, 694:133767. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133767]
Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Aetiology ; Groundwater ; Water use ; Drinking water ; Cooking ; Households ; Gender ; Public health ; Diabetes ; Hypertension / Sri Lanka / Mullaitivu / Vavuniya / Trincomalee / Anuradhapura / Polonnaruwa / Kurunegala / Matale / Ampara / Badulla / Monaragala
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049322)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969719337088/pdfft?md5=b382fae99c90fac17e9317a17f42a220&pid=1-s2.0-S0048969719337088-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049322.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049322.pdf
(1.40 MB) (1.40 MB)
This analysis provides new estimates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence – including CKD of unknown etiology (CKDu) – across ten districts most affected by CKD in Sri Lanka, including an examination of rural households' historical reliance on groundwater consumption. A carefully designed household survey provides information on whether these households self-reported having a member in the decade prior to 2018, who had been clinically diagnosed with CKD. Households were classified according to whether or not they had used groundwater (from household wells, agro-wells or springs) as their primary source for drinking or cooking for at least five years between 1999 and 2018. More than 98% of households reported having consumed groundwater as their primary source of drinking or cooking water for at least five of those years and >15% of households reported having at least one CKD-affected member in the ten-year period up to 2018, but these numbers varied across and within districts. The reported characteristics of symptomatic individuals reveal that the incidence of CKD was significantly higher among females (62%) than males (38%). In addition to CKD, about 63% of symptomatic individuals had hypertension and about one-third of them also had diabetes. About 33% of the symptomatic individuals had neither diabetes nor hypertension, where this group most closely fits commonly used definitions of CKDu. With a survey response of over 8000 households comprising as many as 30,000 individuals, these data illustrate the scale of CKD in the most-affected districts of Sri Lanka on an aggregate basis as well as revealing differences across districts and at the sub-district level.
11 Balasubramanya, Soumya; Stifel, David; Horbulyk, Ted; Kafle, Kashi. 2020. Chronic kidney disease and household behaviors in Sri Lanka: historical choices of drinking water and agrochemical use. Economics and Human Biology, 37:100862. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2020.100862]
Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Drinking water treatment ; Groundwater ; Public health ; Risk factors ; Households ; Behaviour ; Agricultural practices ; Agrochemicals ; Farmland ; Water supply ; Wells ; Water purification ; Reverse osmosis ; Socioeconomic environment ; Rural areas ; Models / Sri Lanka / Mullaitivu / Vavuniya / Trincomalee / Anuradhapura / Polonnaruwa / Kurunegala / Matale / Ampara / Badulla / Monaragala
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049541)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570677X19302576/pdfft?md5=493e1025b9a9e466cbbde1bcad6be90c&pid=1-s2.0-S1570677X19302576-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049541.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049541.pdf
(1.37 MB) (1.37 MB)
This paper examines whether there are systematic differences in the historical behaviors of households that are affected and unaffected by chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Sri Lanka pertaining to their water source choices, water treatment practices, and agrochemical use. This analysis is motivated by the Sri Lankan government’s largest policy response to this epidemic – to encourage communities to switch from untreated well water to publicly provided alternatives. We use recall methods to elicit information on the drinking water source and treatment choices of households over an 18-year period from 2000– 2017. Our analysis is based on a survey of 1497 rural ground-water dependent households in the most CKD-affected areas of the 10 districts of Sri Lanka with the highest prevalence of CKD. Our main findings are that (a) households that have ever used a pump to extract (typically deep) drinking water from a household well are more likely to be affected by CKD; (b) we fail to find a relationship between disease status and households’ use of buckets to extract (typically shallow) groundwater from their wells; and (c) those who have ever treated their shallow well water by boiling it are less likely to be affected by CKD. We also find that a greater share of CKD affected households historically used agrochemicals, used wells that were geographically removed from surface water sources, and displayed lower proxies of wealth. The implications of these findings are fourfold. First, since the systematic differences in the historical patterns of water sources and treatments used by CKD affected and non-affected households are modest, the sources of water and the treatment practices themselves may not be the sole risk factors in developing CKD. Second, although we find a negative association between boiling water and the probability of CKD, it is not obvious that a public policy campaign to promote boiling water is an appropriate response. Third, the hydrochemistry of deep and shallow well water needs to be better understood in order to shed light on the positive relationship between deep well water and disease status, and on why boiling shallow but not deep well water is associated with a lower probability of CKD. Fourth, there is a need for a deeper understanding of other risk factors and of the efficacy of preventative programs that provide alternative sources of household drinking water.
12 Balasooriya, S.; Munasinghe, H.; Herath, A. T.; Diyabalanage, S.; Ileperuma, O. A.; Manthrithilake, Herath; Daniel, C.; Amann, K.; Zwiener, C.; Barth, J. A. C.; Chandrajith, R. 2020. Possible links between groundwater geochemistry and chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu): an investigation from the Ginnoruwa Region in Sri Lanka. Exposure and Health, 12(4):823-834. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-019-00340-w]
Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Groundwater ; Geochemistry ; Drinking water ; Water quality ; Fluorides ; Magnesium ; Trace elements ; Water hardness ; Wells ; Villages ; Arid zones ; Spatial distribution / Sri Lanka / Girandurukotte / Ginnoruwa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050214)
(2.46 MB)
Since at least two decades, Chronic Kidney Disease of Uncertain Etiology (CKDu) has become an increasingly discussed health issue in Sri Lanka and as well as in other tropical regions. Areas that are particularly affected with the disease are mostly located in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. The disease is more prominent among communities that consume groundwater as their main source of drinking water. Hydrogeochemical investigations were carried out in the Ginnoruwa area, a known hotspot of CKDu. It revealed possible links between drinking water chemistry and the spreading of the disease. This work compares hydrogeochemical data of drinking water sources of wells whose consumers are affected by CKDu and other nearby wells whose consumers were not affected by the disease. A total of 63 groundwater samples were collected from selected wells. About one-third of these samples (i.e., 19) were collected from wells used by CKDu patients. Significantly higher values of pH, total hardness, electrical conductivity, Ca2+, Mg2+, F-, Cl-, PO4 3-, and SO4 2- were found in wells that were used by CKDu patients. Mean contents of Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ in CKDu affected wells were 33.8 mg/L, 30.1 mg/L, and 14.9 mg/L, respectively, compared to 23.1 mg/L, 26.7 mg/L, and 9.65 mg/L in non-CKDu wells. Differences in major ion geochemistry in groundwaters are possibly governed by variable time periods of water storage in fractured hard rock aquifers in this region. Hydrogeochemical parameters were statistically compared by a Mann–Whitney U test and indicated significant differences in total dissolved solids (TDS) (p=0.016), SO4 2- (p=0.005), PO4 3- (p=0.030), F- (p=0.048), Na+ (p=0.008), and Mg2+(p=0.008) between non-CKDu and CKDu wells at p=0.050 level. Other suspected solutes such as nephrotoxic trace elements including As, Cd, and Pb were similar in both types of wells. They were also lower than the accepted guideline limits of the World Health Organization (WHO). Results of this study suggest that fluoride in drinking water in combination with water hardness may be one of the responsible factors for kidney damage and progression of the disease. This may be particularly the case when elevated amounts of Mg2+ are present in hard groundwater.
13 Horbulyk, Theodore; Kafle, Kashi; Balasubramanya, Soumya. 2021. Community response to the provision of alternative water supplies: a focus on chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu) in rural Sri Lanka. Water International, 46(1):37-58. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2020.1868124]
Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Aetiology ; Water supply ; Drinking water ; Water use ; Reverse osmosis ; Rainwater ; Wells ; Rural communities ; Households ; Risk assessment ; Safety ; Decision making ; Villages ; Institutions ; Nongovernmental organizations / Sri Lanka / Mullaitivu / Vavuniya / Trincomalee / Anuradhapura / Polonnaruwa / Kurunegala / Matale / Ampara / Badulla / Monaragala
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050264)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02508060.2020.1868124?needAccess=true
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050264.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050264.pdf
(1.35 MB) (1.35 MB)
Until recently, households in the most chronic kidney disease-affected rural areas of Sri Lanka used untreated groundwater for drinking and cooking, but, by 2018, that share was only 35%. About 50% of households consume water treated by reverse osmosis; others rely on piped water, water delivery by tanker and rainwater harvesting. Based on a new and representative survey of 1500 households, households’ propensities to treat drinking water and adopt improved water sources are shown to be associated with their perceptions of water safety and trust in the institutions that provide alternatives to untreated well water.
14 Imbulana, S; Oguma, K. 2021. Groundwater as a potential cause of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka: a review. Journal of Water and Health, 19(3):393-410. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2021.079]
Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Aetiology ; Groundwater ; Risk factors ; Drinking water ; Water quality ; Fluorides ; Heavy metals ; Cadmium ; Water hardness ; Cations ; Wells ; Agrochemicals ; Organic matter ; Arid zones ; Communities / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050453)
https://iwaponline.com/jwh/article-pdf/19/3/393/902741/jwh0190393.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050453.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050453.pdf
(0.39 MB) (396 KB)
The cause of Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in the rural dry zone of Sri Lanka remains unidentified, despite vast research efforts that brought about an extensive list of potential risk factors. Among these, the long-term exposure to various nephrotoxic elements through drinking groundwater was widely suspected owing to the unique geographical distribution of the disease. This review focuses on such well-known hypotheses suspecting the relations with fluoride, hardness, major ions, heavy metals, metalloids, organic matter, agrochemical residues, pathogens, and bacterial toxins in the groundwaters of the CKDu-endemic region. It was comprehensively discussed why each of these constituents was considered a risk factor of CKDu, how could they possibly trigger the pathogenesis of the disease, what was the evidence that supported or failed each hypothesis, and whether providing safe drinking water had been effective at mitigating the progression of the disease. Although plenty of circumstantial evidence supported an etiology related to groundwater for CKDu, it was impossible to elucidate the cause–effect relationships between drinking impaired groundwater and the occurrence of the disease. Future research should be effectively designed to clarify the role of groundwater in the onset of CKDu by taking into account the gaps in past research.
15 Nyachoti, S.; Godebo, T. R.; Okwori, O. F.; Jeuland, M. A.; Manthrithilake, Herath. 2022. Dietary exposures to metals in relation to chronic kidney disease of unknown cause (CKDu) in Sri Lanka. Exposure and Health, 14(1):63-73. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-021-00418-4]
Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Dietary factors ; Rice ; Toxic substances ; Metals ; Risk factors ; Arsenic ; Lead ; Cadmium ; Selenium / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050676)
(2.29 MB)
Exposure to metals has been hypothesized as possible cause of chronic kidney disease of unknown cause (CKDu) in Sri Lanka; however, evidence is inconclusive. We measured the concentrations of nephrotoxic metals (As, Pb, and Cd), as well as Se in rice (a staple grain in Sri Lanka) and other grains consumed in CKDu endemic and non-endemic regions using Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our results showed comparable mean concentrations (in µg/kg) of 24.5±18, 7.3±6.4, and 14.2±15 for As, Pb, and Cd, respectively, in rice from endemic regions and 17.7±4.7, 12.7±6.8, and 17.8±16 in rice from non-endemic regions. Selenium concentrations (in mg/kg) were 0.05±0.02 in rice cultivated in both endemic and non-endemic regions. Arsenic and Cd concentrations were significantly higher in rice compared to other grains, which themselves had higher Se than rice. All samples were below the Codex standards established for Cd (400 µg/kg for rice; 100 µg/kg for cereal grains), Pb (200 µg/kg) and inorganic As (200 µg/kg) for white rice. Our findings show that dietary exposure to low levels of As, Pb, Cd, and inadequate Se in staple grains cannot be clearly linked to CKDu, suggesting that the disease could be multifactorial. Additional research is needed to determine the contribution of other risk factors such as lifestyle habits and heat stress to plan preventive strategies for reducing CKDu health cases in Sri Lanka.
16 Indika, S.; Hu, D.; Wei, Y.; Yapabandara, I.; Cooray, T.; Makehelwala, M.; Jinadasa, K. B. S. N.; Weragoda, S. K.; Weerasooriya, R.; Pang, Z. 2023. Spatiotemporal variation of groundwater quality in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. ACS EST Water, 12p. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.2c00490]
Groundwater ; Water quality ; Shallow water ; Nanofiltration ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Kidney diseases ; Chronic course ; Dry season ; Wet season ; Salinity ; Surface water ; Drinking water ; Fluorides ; Sodium ; Reverse osmosis ; Wells ; Evaporation ; Weathering ; Aquifers ; Parameters ; Irrigation water ; Organic matter ; Water supply ; Water treatment / Sri Lanka / North Central Province / Anuradhapura / Polonnaruwa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051914)
(7.18 MB)
This study focused on fulfilling the demand for a comprehensive investigation of groundwater quality in the North Central Province (NCP) of Sri Lanka to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all). The NCP was selected as the study area due to its highest prevalence of chronic kidney disease with unknown etiology within Sri Lanka. Here, 334 shallow and deep groundwater samples were collected at the end of wet and dry seasons, respectively. Results revealed that elevated and unexpected levels of salinity, hardness, fluoride, nitrate, sulfate, and dissolved organic carbon and the alkaline nature of groundwater were the main issues, and the Ca-HCO3 type was dominant in the groundwater. Water quality index analyses showed that 8.9% and 13.8% of wells had poor quality undrinkable groundwater in wet and dry seasons, respectively. Only 7% of samples were susceptible to sodium and salinity hazards for irrigational use. Reverse osmosis technology with a softening and activated carbon pretreatment process was identified as the most suitable way to treat groundwater with high salinity for many regions of the NCP. The groundwater quality atlas for the NCP created by this study was very useful for making a master plan of safe drinking water supplies and developing and implementing cost-effective water purification technologies in the NCP.
17 Senanayake, N. 2023. Towards a feminist political ecology of health: mystery kidney disease and the co-production of social, environmental, and bodily difference. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 6(2):1007-1029. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/25148486221113963]
Kidney diseases ; Feminization ; Political ecology ; Health hazards ; Intersectionality ; Arid zones ; Agrochemicals ; Drinking water ; Water use ; Women ; Households ; Rice ; Farmers / Sri Lanka / Padaviya / Sri Pura
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052200)
(0.60 MB)
This article argues for a more rigorous engagement with intersectionality within political ecologies of health. Building on the work of feminist scholars who explore the co-production of social and ecological differences, I examine how health improvement schemes that target practices of natural resource use concentrate value (economic and ecological) and health dividends in particular bodies at the expense of others. As part of this intervention, I draw on long-term and ongoing ethnographic research in north-central Sri Lanka. This region is an endemic zone for a mysterious and deadly form of kidney disease (CKDu) as well as the site of frenzied health improvement intervention. Specifically, and in response to scientific studies that link kidney disease to agrochemical use and drinking water, an increasingly diverse range of actors, from different branches of the state apparatus to private industries and civil society organizations, have invested heavily in reconfiguring the region’s water supply infrastructure and agrarian landscapes. Through an analysis of resident testimonies, I demonstrate that the burden of subsidizing these new “healthful” practices of water provision and agricultural production is unevenly experienced, as are residents’ abilities to adopt and maintain them over time and space. More crucially, I illustrate how schemes designed to heal turn on the production of differentiated harms, including new gendered labor burdens for poor women, and intensified agrochemical use for ecologically and economically resource-poor farmers. Developing these narratives toward a feminist political ecology of health, I demonstrate how social, ecological, and bodily differences intersect to constitute new patterns of health and harm in the dry zone. I conclude by reflecting on how this approach can explain the paradoxical effects of well-intentioned disease mitigation strategies.
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