‘Fifty one percent of Colombo’s drinking water supplied free’

Priyanka Kurugala

There is no income from 51 percent of the drinking water supplied to the city of Colombo. Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardana has requested officers of the Water Supply and Drainage Board to take immediate action to remedy this situation.

The Minister has also pointed out that, 26 percent of drinking water used in Colombo city is obtained illegally. He also directed his officers to take action to collect money which is lawfully the Ministry’s. The Minister further said that if the Water Board could collect five percent out of the 26 percent of the money the Water Board would be able to add another Rs two billion to their monthly income.

He said that, the balance 25 percentage of unpaid drinking water gets wasted due to old pipe lines.

His officials were ordered to repair these, old and damaged pipe lines and control the situation.