Minister of Urban Development, Water Supply and Drainage Rauff Hakeem today said that the government was taking measures to assure the water provided through community projects was safe.
He also accepted that although the water provided by the Water Supply and Drainage Board was safe there is an issue pertaining to cleanliness of the drinking water provided to rural villages through community water projects.
Minister Hakeem made these observations today while responding to a question by MP Buddika Pathirana querying as to if it was possible to provide drinking water without certain substances such as Cadmium in order to prevent the spread of kidney diseases.
"The water provided by the Water Supply and Drainage Board is drinkable straight from the tap but there is an issue in the water provided to rural villages through community water projects, however the government is doing its utmost to see that this water is safe as well,” Minister Rauff Hakeem said.
Meanwhile MP Pathirana also said that there are instances where used mineral water bottles are filled up and sold in Matara District. The MP said water is filled into the bottles at the back yard of shops. He also said that the thrown away empty bottles too are filled by these sellers. Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that if there were complaints about such incidents measures would be taken accordingly.