The Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Ministry has announced that the rehabilitation project of the spillway at the Kala Wewa reservoir will begin today (16). The project is aimed at providing a long-term technical solution to a persistent water leakage issue that has continued for more than four decades. 

Officials noted that the gate-free spillway of the reservoir had experienced significant leakage over a period of 42 years, which had reportedly gone unaddressed in previous years, resulting in the loss of substantial irrigation water intended for farming communities in the Rajarata region. The current administration has identified the issue as a priority shortly after assuming office and allocated the necessary funding to initiate the project. The rehabilitation work will be carried out under the policy guidance of the Ministry, with financial support from the Integrated Water Productivity and Water Resources Management Project, and implemented by the Mahaweli Authority. The total investment for the project is estimated at over Rs 75 million.