The water supply charges should be revised soon for the economic stability of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem said.
He said that while a liter of bottled drinking water is sold at Rs. 60, the NWSDB provides 1,000 liters to the people at a price of Rs.12.
”The NWSDB bears a huge cost for purification and distribution of water, so it is impossible to provide water at such a low price,“ he said.
Minister Hakeem made these remarks yesterday at a ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the Polgahawela, Pothuhera and Alawwa Integrated Water Supply Project, in Pothuhera, Kurunegala.
The Polgahawela, Pothuhera and Alawwa Integrated Water Supply Project will provide drinking water to over 167,700 beneficiaries in 167 Grama Seva divisions in Polgahawela, Kurunegala, Weerambugedara, Alawwa, and Mallawapitiya Divisional Secretariat divisions in Kurunegala District.
The estimated cost of the project is USD 108 million, of which USD 91.8 million is funded by the EXIM Bank of India. The Bank of Ceylon will provide USD 16.2 million and Government of Sri Lanka will provide Rs. 4,547.8 million. The total expected cost of the project is Rs 20, 207 million.