French agency helps NWSDB restore water supply to Kinniya

The town of Kinniya situated in the south of Trincomalee has been left without potable water after the main pipe which was supplying water to the city had been washed-out by the tsunami waves

The Societe du Canal de Provence SCP-Gersar, a French Consultant was mobilised from the December 27 by the NWSDB to bring urgently means necessary to provide the affected population with water: 3 bowsers and 150 water tanks were despatched to supply water to the refugee camps and the regions deprived of drinking water, However, the water supply to the town of Kinniya remained a problem due to its isolation.

In the framework of the system set up by the French Government for helping the countries affected by the tsunami, the French Water Agency "Rhone M,diterran,e & Corse" (Agence RM&C) has offered its financial assistance.

This organisation participated in funding the re-instalment of the water pipe crossing the pass of the Kinniya lagoon and the repair of the damages to the network. Such a project, which would have taken several months under normal circumstances, was carried out in less than four weeks utilizing the resources of several other organisations and companies:

This task was made a reality by the tremendous support of NWSDB, the fire-brigade, personnel of Bouches du Rhone, Master Divers, Sierra, SCP-Gersar and SEM (Soci,t, des Eaux de Marseille). The work related to welding and laying underwater across the Kinniya lagoon pass of a pipe of larger size than the original one was completed in two weeks, and water was available on the other side of the pass by February 6.