The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) in collaboration with the National Community Water Supply Department embarked on an accelerated island-wide drinking water supply programme, recently.
Town Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education Ministry Secretary Priyantha Mayadunne said the construction work of a number of accelerated water supply projects were in progress in the estate and rural areas. In view of the success of the programmes, the World Bank has agreed to provide financial support to continue the projects. It is learnt that at present, the NWSDB has provided 2.3 million drinking water connections out of which 92 percent was for domestic use. During the last four years, Rs. 300 billion has been invested to provide drinking water to 90 percent of the country's population with 50 percent enjoying pipe-borne water, Mayadunne said.
Rs. 1.5 billion is allocated at present to provide drinking water through community-based water supply projects. Small villages with a population of 100 to 300 families will be given priority. The ministry sources said at present, 343 large-scale water supply projects are in operation providing water connections to about 8.34 million.
In 2018, Rs. 109,153 million was invested for water supply and sanitation. The board spends Rs. 50 for purifying 1,000 litres of water - one unit. The NWSDB said on the presumption that the minimum monthly domestic water consumption is 15,000 litres, the all-inclusive monthly water bill is Rs. 320.85 and the charge for one litre is just two cents.
One unit of water is 1,000 litres. The government's control price for one litre of drinking water is Rs. 50. But it costs the consumer only Rs. 20 for one unit of filtered drinking water.
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