Current State of Water in MyanmarCurrent State of Water in Myanmar
MuMu MuMu ThanThan
Assistant EngineerAssistant Engineer
Irrigation DepartmentIrrigation Department
MyanmarMyanmar
2323--24, October, 200824, October, 2008
Union of MyanmarUnion of MyanmarMinistry of Agriculture and IrrigationMinistry of Agriculture and Irrigation
Irrigation DepartmentIrrigation Department
Outlines of Presentation
Water potential in Myanmar
Water sector profile
Water resources and challenges
Opportunity and threats
Water quality protection and its standard
Concluding remarks
Location:Location: Latitude 9Latitude 9°° 3232’’ –– 2828°° 3131’’ NN
Longitude 92Longitude 92°° 1010’’ –– 101101°° 1111’’ EE
Land wiseLand wise
North to SouthNorth to South 2060 Km2060 Km
East to WestEast to West 945 Km945 Km
Area:Area: 67.65 million67.65 million--hectareshectares
MyanmarMyanmar
Water PotentialFour major rivers and their major tributaries
water volume - 876.73 million acre ft ( 1,082km³)/annum
Drainage area - 284,800 sq-miles ( 738.23km³)
80% ( May – October)
20% ( November – April )
Ground Water potential in eight principal river basin
water volume - 495 km³.
There are 11 different type of aquifers
Alluvial and Irrawaddian aquifer ----- irrigation &
domestic
Peguan, Eocene, Platea limestone ----- domestic water in
water scared region
The 3rd WEPA International ForumThe 3rd WEPA International Forum
Water Sector Profile in MyanmarWater Sector Profile in Myanmar
Several government agencies and departments
under different ministries are operating their own
programs independently without proper coordination
with the principal executing agency.
IndustrialAgriculture Domestic
91% 8 % 1%
Water Utilization
The total utilization of the nation’s water
resources is only about 5% (or) 45 million acre-
feet(56km³)
Fresh Water Resources
Agriculture Sector
Domestic
Industrial & other purpose
Government is implementing plans for water
conservation with appropriate management and
planning practices so as to support for the rapid
socio-economic development of the country as well as
for protection against water related environmental
degradation.
Water Resources Utilization
Irrigation Project ( more than 1.7 million ha )
River pumping projects ( 188000 ha )
Tube wells ( 48,000 ha )
Hydropower project ( 390 MW )
Drinking Water ( 15745 no of tube wells
10,602 villages)
Challenges
(a) To strengthen the legal framework for ensuring the effective and harmonious integration of water resources management, development and protection activities into the socio- economic development process of the country.
(b) To Enhance and consolidate of the existing systems
(c) To function the operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of facilities safely, reliably and efficiently.
(d) To enhance organizational capacity and effectiveness of the water resources coordination system.
Mission Statement
“ to establish a beneficial framework and effective
mechanism for managing, developing and protecting
water and related resources in an environmental and
economical sound manner in order to meet the needs of
the people of Myanmar”
Vision Statement
“ Sustainability of water resources to ensure
sufficient water quantity of acceptable
quality to meet the needs of the population
in terms of health, food security, economy
and environment”
Opportunities and threats in water resources
A different kinds of water resources projects has been
constructed throughout the country.
- isolated and multiple reservoirs
- ground water extraction projects
- river pumping projects
- diversion head- works
- sluice gates
Those infrastructures were implemented especially for
irrigation in conjunction with hydropower generating for industrial
and domestic water supply and environmental sustainability.
Opportunities
Threats
- Sedimentation of storage dams
- Flooding in the downstream of river
- River pollution and health risk for people living close to rivers
- Weak of coordination and collaboration between agencies
- Inadequate communication and coordination between the
national agencies and authorities
- Inefficient laws and regulations
- Limited manpower
- Scare financial resources
- Lack of appropriate monitoring facilities
- Lack of regular monitoring and surveillance of water quality
Opportunities and threats in water resources
Protection
Causes of deteriorating
- sewage
- solid waste
- industrial waste
- agrochemical waste
Concerned agencies
- Concerned Local City Development Committee
- WRUD
- DDA
- CHEB ( DHP )
- ID
Water QualityWater Quality
Standard
- Basic standards of quality for drinking water were recommended in 1990.
- NCEA & NGOs propose effluent standard
- At present controlling of water quality and
for various purpose are based on the WHO
standard.
Water QualityWater Quality
Laws, regulation and legislation and legal support
- Since the 1900s, there has been established in laws,
regulation, legislation and legal support for water
resources development, management and utilization
in the water related sectors.
(a) For Urban Water Utilization(1) The Rangoon Water Works Act ( 1885)(2) The Burma Municipal Act ( 1898 )(3) The Burma Canal Act 1905, as amended by
Burma Act of 1914, of 1924 of 1928 and of 1934(4) The Burma Embankment Act, 1909 as amended by
Burma Act of 1923, and of 931(5) The City of Rangoon Municipal Act ( 1922). The law
amended the City of Yangon Municipal Act ( 1991)(6) The Underground Water Act ( 1930) , Burma Act IV
1930 ) 21 June 1930
Laws, regulation and legislation and legal support
(7) The Burma Water Power Rules ( 1932)
(8) The Rangoon Municipal Act ( 1941)
Section 114 : Water Supply
Section 115 : General Powers for Supplying the City with Water
Section 116 : Power of Access to Municipal Water Works
Section 117 : Prohibition of Erection of any Building which
Injure Sources of Water Supply
Section 118 : Prohibition of Bathing in or polluting water
Section 119 : Occupiers of Premises to be primarily liable for
Certain Offences Against the Act
The City of Yangon Development Law, 14th May 1990 ( Law No
11/90)
Mandalay City Development Law,1992
City of Yangon Development Law,17th December 1999(Law No
6/99)
Most of the laws above are relating for urban water utilization and
for ground water use, the law are still under processing, but some
are prepared to draw new concepts.
For Irrigation Water Supply
• Canal Act, 1905(Amendment Canal Act in 1998)
• Myanmar Embankment Act, 1909 ( Amendment Embankment
Act in 1998)
• Myanmar Irrigation Manual, 1945 ( Revised: Edit )
Laws, regulation and legislation and legal support
Laws, regulation and legislation and legal support
Livestock and Fisheries and other sectors
• The Protection of Wild life and Wild plants and
conservation of Natural Areas Law, 1994
• The Freshwater Fisheries Law, 1992
• The Myanmar Marine Fisheries Law, 1990( Amending
Law, 1993)
• The law relating to Aquaculture, 1989
• The law relating to the Fishing Rights of Foreign Fishing
Vessels, 1989, amended in 1993
• The Ports Act, 1908
• The Yangon Port Act, 1905
• The Forest Law, 1992
Law of Govern PollutionMyanmar has no specific laws to govern water
pollution.- Public Health Law (1972)
( environmental health such as garbage disposal, use of water for drinking and other purpose, radioactivity, protection of air from pollution and food and drug safety )
- Burma Ports Act ( 1908)( habour pollution, this merely focuses on the detriment
to navigation )
- Myanmar Investment Commission guideline ( 1994)River and lake pollution from sewage, industrial waste
and solid waste disposal are serious problems in Myanmar, but are not regulated explicitly by any laws. So, new laws relating to pollution should be enacted.
Watershed Protection Policy
Aim
- To ensure sustainability of water resources of
country
- To conserve and safe guard the forest, which are
covering 50% of nation
- To fulfill the human needs.
Adverse affect of deforestation
Solid erosion and degradation
- Rapid silting of reservoirs
- Rising of river bed level
- Causing flood at the downstream
- Disturbance of navigation
Greening of 13 Districts in Greening of 13 Districts in Central Dry ZoneCentral Dry Zone
(a) Plantation of fast growing multipurpose tree
species at the rim and its periphery of the basin
boundary such as 50,000 trees for high dams,
40,000 for medium dams and 20,000 trees for low
dams to prevent watershed degradation as well as
to restore ecological balance.
(b) Land rehabilitation and soil conservation activities
in the most critical watersheds of upper Myanmar.
International CooperationInternational Cooperation
Member - International Committee on Irrigation and
Drainage ( ICID ) ( 1982)
Establish - Myanmar Committee on Irrigation and
Drainage (MCID ) ( 2001)
Constitution - 2003
Cooperating - FAO & UNESCAP
SEATAC GWP – SEA
WEPA, AQUAJARINE, PWA and so on.
Focal Point Agency - ID
Institutional bodies for water resources Institutional bodies for water resources utilizationutilization
Irrigation DepartmentIrrigation Department
-- development of the agriculture sectordevelopment of the agriculture sector
-- adequacy of drinking wateradequacy of drinking water
-- protection of environmentprotection of environment
-- generating of hydroelectricitygenerating of hydroelectricity
Water Resources Utilization DepartmentWater Resources Utilization Department
-- provision of irrigation water and drinkingprovision of irrigation water and drinking
Department of HydroDepartment of Hydro-- electric Power Implementationelectric Power Implementation
-- production of electric powerproduction of electric power
Department of Development Affairs
City Development Committee
Department of Human Settlement & Housing Development
- providing of domestic water supply and sanitation work
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology
- measuring the discharge of major rivers yearly
- monitoring water quality at some places
Fisheries Department
- enhancement of food security conjunction with sustainability
of mangrove ecosystem and conserving natural resources
Institutional bodies for water resources utilization
Concluding Remarks
The development of the agriculture sector is one of the key
factors that can spell the enhancement of people's economic life,
living standard and food security.
The construction of irrigation facilities meant not only for the
agriculture purpose but also for greening the environment, for
supplying drinking water to local people and for generating
electricity wherever possible.
It is important for the enhancement of public awareness and
public participation for successful implementation of IWRM in the
country. We would like to call on the stakeholders, national
entrepreneurs, and international organization to make concrete
efforts to participate for the development of agriculture, livestock,
and power and forestry sector in Myanmar.
Thank you very much Thank you very much for your kind attentionfor your kind attention
