World Bank funds govt.’s US $ 165mn water supply and sanitation improvement project

10 November 2015 03:07 am

From left: Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga with World Bank Country Director Francoise Clottes at the signing of the agreement   


The International Development Association of the World Bank is funding a US $ 165 million water supply and sanitation improvement project in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Kegalle, Moneragala and Ratnapura Districts. 

The Sri Lankan government has identified that having a reliable source of safe drinking water is a basic right of the people. 

Accordingly, one of the targets of the government in relating to the water sector in Sri Lanka is to increase piped water coverage from the existing level of 45 percent to 60 percent by 2020. 

It will greatly be supported by ‘Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project 2015-2020’, which is to increase access to pipe-borne water services, focusing on 540 most needy Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions in selected seven districts. 

The funds for the project will be mobilized through the national budget during the period 2015-2020. 

It is estimated that funds would directly benefit an estimated 426,000 people (approximately 107,000 households) with safe piped water supply, of which approximately 26,300 households are in towns, 15,800 households in estates and the remaining 64,900 households are in rural areas. 

Sanitation programmes will benefit approximately 43,000 families to build the individual latrines in rural areas and estates.

Signing of the Financing Agreement took place recently at the Finance Ministry.