Tuesday Oct 27, 2026
Tuesday Oct 27, 2026
Tuesday, 27 October 2026 02:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Japan has pledged over Rs. 600 million for a five-year project to monitor and improve water quality in the Kelani River basin, with the first consignment of water testing equipment handed over to Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi yesterday.
Implemented through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) under the SATREPS program, the 2026-2030 project will set up a basin-wide monitoring network and an aquatic environment data platform to collect and analyse water quality information, supporting evidence-based Government policymaking.
It will also develop policy frameworks, train personnel, engage technical experts and publish research findings.
Japanese representatives handed over the equipment at a steering committee meeting at the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) auditorium. It was then distributed among the CEA, the University of Moratuwa and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University. The University of Moratuwa’s Aquatic Environment Data Operations Centre will play a key role in implementation.
The 145 km Kelani River, with a basin of about 2,300 sq. km, is a major source of drinking water for Colombo and surrounding areas. Approximately one-fourth of Sri Lanka’s population lives in the basin, which has 14 major water treatment and distribution facilities and more than 5,400 industries, including CEA-authorised operations in the Biyagama and Seethawaka industrial zones.
The river faces significant pollution from industrial wastewater, untreated sewage, agricultural waste, and sand and gem mining, while floods and droughts also affect water quality. There are no specific groundwater quality standards either, a concern as groundwater is a major source of drinking water for many Western Province households.
Environment Ministry Secretary K.R. Uduwawala leads the steering committee, while Tohoku University Prof. So Kasama is principal investigator. The meeting was attended by JICA representatives, CEA Chairman Prof. Tilak Hewawasam, CEA Director General Kapila Rajapaksa, University of Moratuwa Department of Civil Engineering Prof. Lalith Rajapaksa, the Kaduwela Municipal Commissioner and Environment Ministry officials. The Department of Irrigation, the Water Resources Board and the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat are also involved.
The project aims to lay a scientific foundation for water quality management across the basin, with the goal of ensuring safer drinking water for the public by 2030.
