Residents of Kataragama, Tissa, Lunungamvehera, Hungama, Beliatta and Ranna are highly inconvenienced as new water connections are not available to them.
The residents of these areas attribute this situation to low quality filters, inefficient water treatment plants and old water towers with a low capacity of water storage.
Residents of Kataragama told the media that several years back Austrian Engineers had installed a water filter called Dyna which was said to be purifying 5,000 litres of water per hour. But the Kataragama Water Board sources say that it could only purify only about 2,000 litres per hour, resulting in a shortage of water even during rainy days. When inquired by the media, Hambantota Water Supply and Drainage Board (WSDB) area Engineer J.P.B.Jayasuriya said that new water connections were not provided as there was a shortage in the capacity of water.
Out of the applications for new water connections, only 50% could be provided in Ranna area from the waiting list.
Jayasuriya said that plans were underway to supply new connections.