• 19 amendments proposed to modernise water supply management

The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Bill was presented in Parliament yesterday (6), with Housing, Construction and Water Supply Minister Dr. Susil Ranasinghe outlining 19 proposed amendments aimed at transforming the NWSDB from a basic service provider into an organised, efficient and sustainable institution for water supply management.

Dr. Ranasinghe said the amendments seek to remove legal barriers that currently restrict the provision of technical expertise in water management and distribution, while also granting the NWSDB authority to enter private properties beyond water meter readings when required.

Speaking in Parliament, he said that despite several organisations being involved in water management and distribution across the country, thousands of people still lack access to safe water facilities.

He noted that in some rural areas, residents are forced to travel several kilometres to obtain drinking water, while people in certain Districts have to purchase water from reverse osmosis filter systems for cooking purposes.

Dr. Ranasinghe said the Government does not intend to continue the previous “Water for All” programme, which focused on providing household connections.

He pointed out that following the programme, around 25,000 families in the Western Province still do not receive a proper water supply, with some experiencing low pressure, receiving water for only about two hours a day, or having to wait several days for supply.

He said the proposed amendments would allow NWSDB officials to enter premises beyond reading meters when necessary, including for disconnections or investigations, with provisions to seek Security Forces assistance where required. Discussions are also underway regarding insurance coverage for officials engaged in such duties.

The Minister said NWSDB facilities and properties, including around 30 laboratories used for water quality testing, could be utilised for training programmes to improve technical services. However, existing legal provisions prevent external parties from accessing these resources, a matter that would be addressed through the amendments.

He added that the NWSDB possesses the country’s best expertise and technological capacity in water supply management but lacks the legal authority under the current Act to provide technical guidance to other institutions.

The proposed amendments will also introduce provisions covering wastewater management standards, construction of systems, equipment used in such projects, and qualifications required for technicians involved in wastewater services.

Addressing wastewater management, Dr. Ranasinghe highlighted the growing need for proper systems as rural populations increasingly migrate to urban areas and the Government plans to establish more industries in urban zones.

He said effective wastewater management is currently limited to only a few areas, while many systems provided to State institutions have deteriorated due to a lack of technical knowledge to maintain them. He noted that hundreds of projects that initially functioned well are now facing operational issues.

On billing and payments, he said that although digital methods such as SMS and email notifications have been introduced, existing laws still require official communication through postal services.

He stressed that the Government is moving towards a digital era and amendments would be introduced to legalise payments and other functions carried out through digital platforms.

Dr. Ranasinghe said the amendments also focus on improving water quality and expanding capacity, citing an incident where students in the Deniyaya area contracted meningitis due to contaminated facilities.

He added that although more than 4,000 programmes are operated under the National Community Water Supply Department, many are not functioning or being properly maintained. Most water supply programmes managed by Provincial authorities also require further technical development, he said.