New water connection down payment to be reduced to Rs. 2,000

• Accelerated program for supplying 150,000 new domestic water supply connections this year
• Approximately Rs. 20,000 needed as down payment for extending pipes, damage to roads
• PM proposal to award contract bank conservation and removal of silt from two reservoirs in Jaffna peninsula also gets nod

By Chandani Kirinde

Cabinet this week approved the launch of an accelerated program for supplying 150,000 new domestic water supply connections this year and reduced the initial down payment needed for a new connection from around Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 2,000.

Cabinet spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardena said the rest of the payment can be paid over a 10-month period in instalments.

At present the National Water Supply and Drainage Board supplies pipe-borne water to 2.4 million customers, covering 41% of the Sri Lankan population while supplying 110,000 new domestic water connections each year. 

However, it has become difficult to supply the domestic drinking water connection in certain areas although there is an additional capacity since it has become compulsory to extend the pipelines covering the roads/areas void of coverage from the existing pipelines. The commuters have to pay approximately Rs. 20,000 as a down payment as well as pay charges for renovating the roads that get damaged when getting a new connection.

Hence the Cabinet of Ministers agreed to the proposal tabled by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Minister of Urban, Water Supply and Housing Facilities to obtain the water connection without inconvenience.

Meanwhile another proposal by the Prime Minister to award the contract to the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation for Rs. 113.04 million (VAT-free) for the conservation and removal contract of silt in two reservoirs in the Jaffna Peninsula was also approved by Cabinet.

The International Development Institute has provided and additional credit amount of Rs. 55 million under the strategic Urban Development Project, and the money will be used for the pilot project of bank conservation and removal of silt in Pillaiyar Kovil Kulam and Thevar Kulam Reservoirs in the Jaffna peninsula. The Prime Minister made this proposal in his capacity as the Minister of Urban development, Water Supply and Housing Facilities.