LHI looking at international projects

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

Lanka Hydraulic Institute (LHI) is looking at several harbour and water management projects from countries such as Dubai, Bahrain, Africa, Bhutan and the Maldives. The Coastal and Hydraulic Engineering Company’s CEO, Engineer H. N. R. Perera told Daily News Business that they are currently designing a harbour project for Senagal in Africa.

In addition, they are also currently involved in a drinking water project for Weheragama 19 kilometres away from Chilaw.

The latest international project recently completed by the consultants in LHI, was a 3D physical modelling to optimize the layout of the harbour at Krishnapatnam, India. This project was for Rs 10 million.

He said that one significant advantage the company has is the availability of local expertise and knowledge to undertake any project saving a lot of foreign exchange to the country. “As the government expected, many Sri Lankan expatriates have agreed to come back to serve the country and those who go overseas to obtain PHDs also rejoin after completing their studies,” Eng Perera said.

The average turnover of the company annually stands over Rs 100 million and LHI focus on larger projects targeting over Rs 150 million this year.

Eng. Perera said that the managing of urban storm and waste water drainage is becoming an increasingly important health and environmental challenge globally, as many developing countries urbanize at a fast pace and LHI has lent its expertise to many drainage and sewerage projects to improve living conditions for thousands of people.

LHI is the only one in the region which has in-house facilities for physical and numerical modelling and field investigations and it has a large array of equipments for measuring waves, currents, tides, salinity, sedimentation, and wind.

It operates a state-of-the-art hydraulic laboratory with reliable technical and IT support, geared to cater to the international needs, Eng Perera said.