Are we running out of drinking water?

Colombo, April 3 (Daily Mirror) - Major reservoirs supplying fresh water to thousands of households in the main Colombo District is soon drying up posing a threat of drinking water becoming scarce in the coming weeks.

According to officials in the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), if rains are not received in the coming weeks, the supply of drinking water to Colombo will soon run out with water in the Kalatuwawa reservoir being sufficient only for 22 days and water in the Labugama reservoir being sufficient only for 50 days.

The NWSDB has already warned that water supply will be urgently managed in most parts of the country while 24-hour water cuts will be imposed in some parts of Colombo until April 10 due to the reduction of water levels in the Labugama and Kalatuwawa reservoirs.

Chairman of the NWSDB Chandana Bandara told a news conference last morning that the Western Province was mainly affected due to the dry weather.

He said water capacity in most water sources were rapidly reducing and if the dry weather condition prevails for another two to three weeks, the situation may get worse.

He said water usage may be increased within the next few weeks due to the festive season and added that managing water supply had become a must. “The NWSDB has planned to manage water supply during this period,” he said.

He said the NWSDB decided to impose water cuts as some areas in Colombo such as Kottawa, Piliyandala, Kesbewa and Hokandara had not received water in recent days due to low pressure.

Deputy General Manager (Production) Lalith Wijesinghe said the NWSDB produces 2.5 million cubic metres of drinking water daily at some 300 water sources and added that out of that 1.25 million cubic metres were produced in the Western Province.

"700,000 cubic metres of drinking water are produced in the Colombo District, 450,000 cubic metres of drinking water in Gampaha District and 180,000 cubic metres of drinking water in Kalutara District daily. We have to control water production in Western Province," he said.

Wijesinghe said 550,000 cubic metres of drinking water is produced daily in the Ambatale water treatment plant, 60,000 cubic metres in Labugama and 90,000 cubic metres in the Kalutuwawa plant.

He said 15,000 cubic metres of drinking water will have to be reduced in the Kalatuwawa reservoirs due to the reduction of water levels.

He said water supply in the Gampaha District will not be affected right now as water levels in the Kelani River where water is supplied to the Gampaha District through the Biyagama water treatment plant, remained in sufficient level.

Meanwhile, Deputy General Manager Disna Pannila said water cuts will be imposed in some places in Colombo District from Thursday night due to reduction of water production at the Labugama and Kalutuwawa water treatment plants.

She said a 24-hour-water cut will be imposed in Padukka, Homagama, Pelenwatte and Pannipitiya every four days starting from Thursday night (2).

She said a 24-hour water cut will be imposed in Padukka from 8 pm on Thursday (2) till 8 pm on Friday (3).

Pannila said a water cut will be imposed in Homagama from 8 pm on Friday (3) till 8 pm on Saturday (4).

She said Pelanwatta will undergo a 24‑hour cut from 8 pm Saturday (04) till Sunday (5) 8 pm.

Pannila said water is supplied to 150,000 consumers through the Kalatuwawa and Labugama reservoirs.

She said water consumers in Hanwella, Homagama, Padukka, Maharagama, Kesbewa and Piliyandala will be affected through the supply restriction from Kalutuwawa and Labugama plants.

Meanwhile, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) announced that three-hour water cuts will be imposed in Battaramulla, Pamankada, Wellawatte, Nawala and surrounding areas on every other day from Thursday (April 2) until April 10 from 10.00 p.m. to 1.00 a.m.