The country has 49 per cent of families without drinking water and in the next four years, they will be provided with water, Rural and Regional Drinking Water Supply Projects Development State Ministry Secretary S.G. Wijayabandu said.
He was speaking at a Rural Infrastructure Development Committee meeting at the Galle Hold Goal Hall recently. “Only 51 per cent of families have been provided with drinking water during the last 72 years. Saubhagya Dakma (Vision of Prosperity) - the President’s Policy Statement - states that drinking water will be provided to all in the next four years,” the Secretary said.
The National Water Supply Board (NWSB), the Department of Community Water Resources (DCWR) and the Water Resources Board (WRB) will get together to achieve the target, he said.
“We operate through community based organizations in this regard. Drinking water facilities will be set up where the NWSB cannot supply water,” he said.
“Water will be supplied to 2,104 families of the Imaduwa, Neluwa, Nagoda, Baddegama, Thawalama, Elpitiya Divisional Secretariats in 2020 at a cost of Rs. 127 million.
Several facilities have been set up now. Rs. 16 million has been allocated to purify water. Rs. 90 million has been allocated to provide drinking water to 875 families in Akmeemana, Yakkalamulla, Neluwa, Elpitiya and Nagoda in 2021,” the Ministry Secretary said.
